Learning Curve
by kaybe
Summary: Follows Naomi and the gang during their first year at university. AU. Focuses mainly on Naomi and Emily through Naomi's perspective.
1. Chapter 1: Intro

**Hey all! If you're reading this, thanks in advance. I've been entertaining the idea of writing a Naomily fic for a while now. Finally gotten around to it after reading and being inspired by other's stories.**

**Follows Naomi and the whole gang in their first year at university. They didn't all go to the same college or anything like that. Please let me know what you think or if I should continue. Enjoy and thanks again for reading!**

**I don't own skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter 1: Intro**

**..**

**..**

Naomi let out a sigh as she leaned against the door jam of her new room. University. Fucking hell. She had waited forever to get here, and now that she was all that excitement seemed to have dissolved into nerves. She walked in throwing her bag down onto the unclaimed bed. Her roommate's offensively colorful possessions already neatly unpacked.

Naomi remembered the only contact she'd had with her roommate over the summer. Once receiving her roommate assignment she gave her a ring after a few days.

It had gone to voicemail. "If you like fish sticks leave a message!" Beep.

"Jesus…um well no, I don't really fancy fish sticks but I'll leave a message anyway. Hello, it's Naomi, you're roommate, figured I'd just give you a ring. See if you wanted to talk bout what you're bringing to university? Alright well, later then."

"Fish sticks?" the blonde sitting next to her said as she put her phone back in her bag.

Naomi rolled her eyes, "Fucking hell. Yes, fish sticks. Her voicemail said something about them."

"Her mobile voicemail mentioned fish sticks?" the blonde laughed. "Sounds like you got paired up with a right winner."

Naomi was about to curse the girl out when her phone started to ring.

"I'm sitting next to you, I'm the only person that calls you, who's calling you?" The girl asked. "Gina?"

"Shut up," Naomi said before answering her phone.

"Hi! It's Pandora. Sorry I missed your call. Must not have heard it. I've been having a bogger time trying to pack. An I've been playin' my music too loud again, or so my mum says. Jumbles of the brain cogs it does. Are you excited bout university? It's wicked whizzer, isn't it? And we're gona be roomies, just brill!"

The girl had said a whole lot of words, Naomi understanding about half.

"You had to be the top floor with no lift," Naomi heard her mum say pulling her out of her reverie. Gina came into view box in hand.

"Whatcha doin' love?" Gina asked putting down the box and taking in her daughter starring off.

Naomi shook her head before sitting up, "Nothing."

Gina gave her daughter a thoughtful smile, "Shall we get the rest of you unpacked then? Or do you want to come back home?"

Naomi gave her mum a look, accompanied by a betraying smile.

"Either's fine by me, I'd just prefer to know before I hike all those stairs carrying your shit."

Naomi rolled her eyes walking past her mother and into the hall.

One hour and countless boxes later, Naomi was officially moved in to university.

Now what? Naomi thought as she leaned back into her chair. Thoughtlessly drumming her fingers along her desk, she pulled out her phone.

"Whizzer you're here!" A jovial voice boomed as a dirty blonde girl with a smile as wide as her face walked in. Naomi jumped at the sudden noise dropping her phone onto her desk.

"Hi, Pandora," Naomi said with a small smile, regaining herself, sitting up a little straighter.

"Have you been round at all? I've had a bonkers time trying to find everfin. Already got lost twice on my way back," Pandora said as she bounced into her own chair. Their sturdy wooden desks were touching, facing each other against the window in the middle of the room. Pandora twirled in her chair smiling at Naomi. Naomi had the impression this girl never stopped moving.

"Oh, call me Panda!" she continued, "Everyone does, well my friends do anyway." She paused, "I've got two."

"Right, Panda…" Naomi began giving the girl a tentative smile.

"Pandora?" A polite voice called followed by the primly dressed woman it belonged to coming into view in the doorway.

"Mum!" Panda exclaimed, "This is Naomi, my roommate."

"Pandora, volume. For dear sake," her mum chastised. "And oh, well yes, very nice to meet you, Naomi was it?"

"Nice to meet you too, Ma'am," Naomi looked between the pair; they could not be more unalike in posture or demeanor.

"Pandora dear, you are ready for lunch, yes?" her mum said.

"Righto!" Panda said flying out of her seat. "Naomi you'll join us won't you?" she added with such childlike expectation.

"Oh, um sure," Naomi answered, not anticipating the invitation. "Let me just ring my mum."

Not long after possibly the most unusual and borderline awkward lunch Naomi had ever experienced and saying goodbye to her mum she found herself in a random dorm room sitting on the floor with five other girls.

Panda had invited her to join. She had met two of the girls on her wayward travels to find the café earlier.

Naomi agreed, unable to think of a reason not to. She didn't actually know anyone else at university. Back in college she relished the idea of going somewhere where she didn't know a sole: to be completely free. Now that she was here, she saw a glaring flaw in her brilliant idea: not everyone had done the same.

It had never occurred to her that others would go to the same university as their college friends or close to home. But here she was sitting on a dingy dorm carpet listening to girls go on about this bloke that they were dating or who they knew.

While they were all about to start their first year of study Naomi had the feeling all commonality stopped there. Sure she needed to meet new people, make some friends, make an effort, but these were not the people. Panda being the possible only exception, in her own way, Naomi had the feeling Panda was one of those people it was impossible to hate.

"He's well lush, yeah," the brunette with a fucking bow in her hair gushed. They were talking about her boyfriend.

Naomi kept looking around the room attempting to think of a proper excuse to leave.

"Does he really play for Bristol Weber Reserves?"

The phone Naomi had been idly playing with fell out of her hand with a buzz.

Alex.

"Sorry," Naomi said motioning to her phone as she stood up. "Panda I'll see you later yeah?"

Hitting answer she left the room.

"Thank fuck," Naomi exhaled into her phone.

"Miss me that much already do you?" A cheeky voice responded.

"Oh shut up," Naomi laughed. "You just saved me from the most boring room of girls, I kept trying to think of ways to escape."

"Well I'm glad I could help you bust out."

Naomi caught Alex up on her walk back to her own dorm. With the mandatory floor meeting and mixer later that night she figured she could work on the whole talking to people thing then.

"What are you even talking about?" Naomi asked.

"It was a film reference. God Naomi have you ever watched a movie? I swear. Culture yourself."

"I do you wanker, it's called literature. You know those stacks of papers bound together for your convenience? Ever thought of opening one?"

"I think I know what you're talking about. Sometimes have pictures with fit girls on the covers…starts with a B? I think, help me out here you smart arse."

Naomi rolled her eyes, "Tosser."

"No, that's a T. I thought it started with a B."

Walking up the stairs Naomi took a right and headed for the first door on her right, her room. She looked up as a girl with bright red hair passed her. Naomi's head turned as the girl went by. She thought the girl had smirked, she told herself she'd just imagined it.

"Helloooo? Naomi? Anybody there?" Alex sang through the phone.

"Jesus," Naomi stuttered as she fumbled with her key. "Sorry, what?"

"Where in blazes did you just go?"

Naomi looked back down the now vacant hall, "Nowhere."

She'd definitely imagined it.


	2. Chapter 2: Intro

**Hey, hey! Wow! Thanks to all those that read, added me to their alerts, and favorite stories. I was humbled and motivated to pop this next chapter out before heading off to work for the day. Oh and also a special thanks to K-K for reviewing : ) very much appreciated.**

**So here is the next bit, kind of a second part to the intro if you will. Let me know what you think!**

**I don't own skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter II: Intro (part 2)**

..

..

Fireworks were going off all around Naomi. Literally. The mandatory mixer ended up being a gather of all the first years on the lawn of the president's house. Activities including listening to a speaker ramble on about new beginnings and great expectations, watching someone in the "Golden Knight" mascot suit run around, and witness a firework display.

The small campus was actually quite pretty, most of it running up a hill. Naomi stood in the evening light on the lawn looking around. Again noticing the lack of faces she knew. As she began to feel the anxiety of her decision to go somewhere new she saw a face she did recognize. Well a face she recognized from earlier that evening.

_.._

_Naomi sat down on the floor of the dorm hallway. All the students sat along the wall listening to their Resident Advisor, Janet, speak._

_With her arms resting on her pulled up knees Naomi turned to her right to look down the hall only to see the slight brunette sitting next to her staring back. It was a slightly unnerving stare, as if her deep blue eyes were actually seeing deep into her._

_The girls pallid face broke into a small smirk._

"_How much do you think this bird gets off talking about how she's here for us, and in charge?"_

_Naomi laughed._

"_I'm Effy," the brunette said._

"_Naomi."_

_.._

Naomi walked up to the group of girls Effy was amongst.

"Hi," she said tentatively coming up to Effy's side.

"Hey Naomi," she replied. Naomi recognized the other two girls from their floor meeting though couldn't put names to their faces.

"Bit much don't you think?" Effy stated looking around.

"Yeah, it's a bit grand if you ask me," Naomi replied as the fireworks light up the sky.

Naomi learned the other two girls names were Holly and Sam.

"So what is this party you were speaking bout Sam?" Holly asked.

"A party? Where?" Naomi heard a familiar voice say as Panda joined the makeshift circle of girls.

Effy smiled at Panda. While Naomi had seen Effy smile more than once since meeting earlier that day she had a feeling it was a rare thing to earn.

The party was down in the town.

"Shall we go Naomi?" her roommate asked in a hopeful tone.

"Why not," Naomi shrugged.

**..**

**..**

Fucking hell. The noise was persistently abrasive to say the least. Naomi stood up and called over to Panda who somehow did not seem to hear it.

"Panda," the dirty blonde did not move lying in her lofted bed. "Panda!" Nothing.

Naomi walked over to the girl shaking her slightly, past niceties. "PANDA!" the blonde yelled.

"Is it time for class already?" A sleep soaked voice mumbled from the covers. It was Sunday night. The first day of classes were the following day and Panda had gone to bed early in preparation.

"No, fire alarm's going off," Naomi explained watching the girl slowly come to. "C'mon we've got to go outside. Apparently we'll get fined if we ignore it. Greedy bastards."

Naomi grabbed a jumper as Panda hopped down from bed to chair to floor: her "step ladder" as she referred to it.

Together they shuffled out the room and down the stairwell next to it. The shrieking alarm was deafening in the hallway.

"So you're a heavy sleeper as well, yeah?" Naomi said rounding the first flight.

"Dead as a log says me mum," Panda smiled sleepily.

"Well shit," Naomi laughed.

"What?" Panda asked not getting the joke.

"Me as well," Naomi explained with a small lopsided smile, "We're fucked if there's actually a fire in the middle of the night."

"Well at least the buggers won't be able to fine us, seeing as well be dead and all."

Naomi let out a snort of laughter. Upon meeting her Naomi immediately knew Panda was funny, but until this moment she was not aware of her capacity for cynical humor. It surprised her. And she liked it.

All the students poured out of the flashing dormitory pooling in clusters across the adjacent car park.

Naomi found herself standing around faces she did not know as Panda had meandered off. Looking immediately to her right she noticed the girl standing closest to her. Even in the darkness of the night Naomi could see the brightness of her hair.

"First fireworks now a fire," Naomi found herself saying, "quite the welcoming, yeah?"

The smaller girl looked up surprised before a timid smile crept across her face, "Yeah."

"What I'm trying to figure it out is if it's just a drill or if someone was actually daft enough to start a fire first weekend in," Naomi didn't know where this sudden socialness was coming from but she decided to roll with it. What did she care? She'd never met the girl before.

The girl rewarded her with a chuckle followed by a mischievous smirk. Her eyes narrowing slightly looking up to meet Naomi's for the first time. "Based on the lot I've met so far," she said in playful husky voice, "My money's on the daft fire starter."

It was Naomi's turn to laugh this time, "Probably trying to make a cup a tea."

"Caught that water right on fire."

They were bantering. It was nice. Naomi smiled.

Just then Janet the R.A. was shouting. "Alright everyone, well nice job getting outside. It was just a drill. You can head back in."

"Good thing we didn't make a bet," Naomi shrugged turning back to the bright haired girl.

"Good thing," she smiled at Naomi, "Night."

She walked away back toward the dorms. Only then Naomi realizing she never got the girls name, never even introduced herself.

"Whizzer! Early to bed early to class!" Panda said coming directly into Naomi's line of vision. "Or some'in like that. I can never remember how those sayings go. Was that right?"

"Yeah Panda, sounds about right," Naomi said following her roommate back toward the dorms.


	3. Chapter 3: We All See What We Want

**Hey all, sorry it's been a bit since the last post. Promise I don't plan on that being a habit. Wow to all the hits, alerts, and favorite story adds! Thank you all so much for reading! Please feel free to review and let me know what you think. It would be very much appreciated : )**

**And I promise some Naomily interaction will happen, all in due time. All in due time.**

**I don't own skins or anything of the sort.**

..

**..**

**Chapter III: We All See What We Want**

**..**

**..**

Naomi took a seat in the lecture hall: off center to the right of the podium and a few rows back. She made sure to get there early enough so there would be no confusion as there had been in her previous class. The start to her higher education had not gone as smoothly as she would have liked.

.

.

"_That's my seat."_

"_Pardon?" Naomi said looking up from her book._

"_That's my seat," The girl repeated, "You're in my seat."_

"_There not assigned." Naomi replied going back to her book._

"_Well I was there."_

"_Sorry? I didn't see your stuff." Naomi said looking around; the desk was empty besides her own book. _

"_Yeah well, I was there. I just went to go chat with a mate."_

_Naomi continued reading._

"_Get up." The girl insisted._

"_No."_

"_Get the fuck up."_

"_Fuck off."_

_The girl slammed Naomi's book shut before tossing it to the next desk._

"_Give it back."_

"_Go get it."_

"_You're serious?" Naomi said incredulously, eyebrow raised._

"_As serious as your serious lack of fashion sense."_

_Naomi gave the girl her full attention for the first time, sizing her up. Dyed brown hair with maybe a hint of red to it, big hoop earrings, beauty mark under her left eye, and a fucking bow in her hair. This was the girl that kept going on about her boyfriend that first day in the random girls dorm._

_Naomi stood up accentuating her height over the girl and leaned over the desk, her face right in front of the brunette 's._

"_I'll move now. But only because if I don't I have the feeling you won't shut up about it. And even the thought of having to listen to your voice a moment longer is going to give me a migraine."_

_With that Naomi moved out from behind the desk. As the girl went to move Naomi firmly placed her hand down on the desk, blocking the girl's path with her arm._

"_Oh, and just so you know, touch my stuff or try and pull this shit again, and I promise we'll have more than words." Naomi smiled threateningly as she slid her hand across the desk and retreated to a different seat in the room. Grabbing her book along the way and feeling the daggers being thrown at her by the brunette the whole time._

.

.

Naomi closed her eyes for a moment a sigh escaping her lips. First day wasn't even through and she already had an accumulating pile of work. Might as well get a start on it the thought. She reviewed her assignments list.

"Fuck me," she muttered to herself, opening another book.

"That an invitation?" She heard a voice say.

Naomi raised her eyes to find the source of it. A boy with short messy hair sitting in the row in front of her grinned.

"Sorry?"

The room had filled up considerably since she started in on her reading. She hadn't noticed most of the class fill up let alone the three boys that now sat together directly in front of her.

"That proposition of yours," he winked, "accepted."

"Tosser." Naomi rolled her eyes, turning back to her book.

Nine pages in the professor appeared beginning class. He was checking over the roster. A menial part of class Naomi had despised her whole life.

She sat and waited for it.

"Naomi Campbell?"

Laughter. She raised her hand with an eye roll. Eight or eighteen the response was the same, so much for maturity.

"James Cook?"

"Yo!" The boy in front of her raised his hand before turning back to face her as the next name was called.

"Hey Naomi, now I get it you got anger management issues." He smiled cheekily.

"Mm, only when I talk to wankers." She shot back.

"Cool, so you gona hit me with your shoe now or…"

She flipped him off.

"I like her," he laughed offhandedly to the two he was sitting with as he turned back around to face the front.

Kieran, as the professor had instructed them to call him, was now discussing the outline of the class. It was a mandatory first year class.

"Babe."

Which was why everyone looked oh so thrilled to be in it, Kieran included.

"Babe."

Basically they were to group off and spend the entire semester doing group based work that would end with a final project and presentation.

"Babe,"

"Babe."

"Sorry?" Naomi finally looked up "I'm not a babe," She snipped.

"No? Well, I'll be the judge of that." The boy with short brown hair smirked doggedly.

"Shut up, Cook," Naomi heard one of the other boys saying, "Sorry bout him." His friend was obviously tall even sitting in his chair. Tan skin, side swept greasy bangs, and a genuine dopy smile.

"Naw naw, it's alright just trying to break the ice," Cook began turning fully round to Naomi again, "Guess what I've got tattooed on me-"

"James Cook."

Cook stopped midsentence and turned round to face Kieran who just read his name off his roster.

"Yeah, Kieran?"

"Is there anything you'd like to share with the whole class?"

Naomi smirked at the boy being put in the hot seat.

Justice.

Cook laughed, "Naw, naw I'm good mate."

"Well since we are in class and it's time to break into your groups for the semester anyway why don't I help you out with yours?"

Cook just looked at him blankly. Obviously he hadn't heard a word the man had said past his name all class. Naomi felt smug waiting for him to get his.

"Seems you've already formed a group for yourself, so lets see how well it rises shall we?" Kieran said looking in Naomi's direction, "You're model girlfriend there can join your mates and round off your group to four."

Injustice.

Naomi must have heard him wrong. But she didn't, not only did the professor just take a piss at her name, but she was just stuck with the wanker Cook and his mates for the entire semester.

She opened her mouth to speak up but Kieran was already walking over to the other side of the lecture hall pairing up different groups at random. Fucking hell.

She turned to the three boys with the antithesis of a happy expression on her face.

"The three musketeers together all semester!" the third boy said enthusiastically, "The homeostasis of the group is preserved."

He was the smallest of the three boys with curly brown hair that stuck up in every direction, blue eyes, and braces.

"Three musketeers?" Naomi raised her eyebrow, "So what, you all mates from home then?" Naomi assumed aloud. She had moved down to the boys' row as she was now stuck with them, her new group mates.

The third boy grinned. "Actually we met the first day moving in and again reacquainted during introductions where we discussed further plans for the weekend and—"

"What Gay Jay here is trying to say Blondie," Cook interrupted, "Is one weekend of fooking shenanigans and we're mates for life. Ain't that fooking right?" He ruffled JJ's hair to emphasize his point.

Despite being visibly agitated from his hair being tousled JJ produced a grin. Obviously happy to be considered part of the group.

"I'm JJ," the third boy said sticking his hand out toward Naomi. She just looked at it.

"Freddie." The tall boy with bangs said with a head nod toward Naomi as he took JJ's extended hand and pushed it back down aware the blond had no intention of shaking it.

"Shenanigans?" Naomi questioned before thinking better of it. "No actually, I don't want to know. I take that back."

Freddie gave a crooked smile. "You really don't."

"Aw, I bet she does," Cook cooed, "All the sordid details." He added suggestively waggling his eyebrows in the process.

Naomi rolled her eyes, again.

"Ignore him," Freddie said, "Let's just get started on this project yeah?"

Cook was a wanker, but channel his energy in the right direction and he had his uses. Freddie given the right drugs was productive. And then there was JJ who was a genius. If Naomi was honest with herself she reasoned she could have done worse group wise. But they were still bloody annoying as hell.

..

..

Naomi found herself falling into a routine as she rounded off her second week of classes. The time she would get up each morning reflecting how early or late her first class of the day was: ten o'clock class Monday, Wednesday, Friday, nine o'clock class Tuesday, Thursday.

Tea and toast by herself in the café or her room depending on how many alarms it took her to get up. She was anything but a morning person. Between classes lunch was a variable, where, who and when not always the same. After class and between fucking off and homework she would get dinner with the same people. It was as if each floor in all the first year dorms had grouped off. Freshman tended to have the safety in numbers mentality, so every evening Naomi was dragged to dinner by at least Effy, Panda, Sam, and Holly.

"You comin' roomie?" Panda said popping her head inside the door. That was Panda's most recent nickname for Naomi.

"What, yeah," Naomi answered looking up from her computer screen, "Just give me a second to finish this. You leaving now?"

"Effy says 'drag Naomi out of that room, we're eating,'" Panda smiled attempting her best impression of Effy.

She abandoned her paper, knowing full well Panda wasn't above literally dragging Naomi out of the room. She had learned that the hard way.

"Alright, lets go." Naomi conceded.

Naomi found living with Panda was going a lot smoother than she had initially expected. They were complete opposites, but somehow it worked. She was actually even becoming quite fond of the girl in her own way. If you had told her during the summer after their one phone call how swimmingly things would be going now, she would have scoffed at you.

The one thing she could not figure out for the life of her was how they were paired together. She had wondered if the school even looked at the forms they had filled out. That was until she saw Panda's workload. From that moment on their pairing made perfect sense. They were both completely insane, insane and overachievers. Panda's double major in biology and chemistry with a physical therapy concentration matched Naomi's double major of political science and journalism with a concentration in law.

While there was no denying Panda lived in her own world that didn't mean that that world was an unintelligent one. Panda had a photographic memory. Yes, she was all over the place in thought and action but the girl was smart.

Naomi walked out of their room and down the hall, past the stairwell and the bathroom until she reached Effy's room, which followed.

"You rang?" Naomi quipped leaning on the door jam of Effy's room. Panda bounded in sitting on the vacant circle chair.

Effy was sitting at her desk a small smirk appearing on her face.

"Naomi Campbell, out of her room," the brunette feigned surprise, "what's the occasion?"

"Didn't quite fancy being dragged out again," Naomi responded. Literally. Panda had literally dragged her out.

"Naomi Campbell? Like the model?" a voice said.

If Naomi hadn't been so surprised at the voice she would have rolled her eyes. It never got old and it was so old. She hadn't even seen the other girl in the room. Come to think of it Naomi had never met Effy's roommate before. In the shadows underneath her lofted bed a girl was sitting at her desk tucked away in the corner.

"Fuck's sake," Naomi retorted regaining herself, "Yes my name is Naomi Campbell, no I'm not a model, and yes I have heard that one before."

The girl leaned back looking slighted. "Sorry, I didn't mean…I was just surprised that's all…" the girl stammered.

"Naomi, this is Sophia, my roommate." Effy said killing the awkward conversation that was sure to ensure.

Effy then turned to Sophia, "We're getting dinner, want to join?"

"Umm," Sophia looked unsure, casting a glance at Naomi, "sure."

Meeting the others down the hall the girls headed to dinner.


	4. Chapter 4: Passerby

**Hello again! I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has alerted or added this to their favorites. And an even bigger thank you to HappyAsIAm.X and the anon that reviewed. Greatly, greatly appreciated :) **

**Promise the next chapter will be up sooner. Also, thank you to everyone who's reading this. Legit, you're all top notch. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter IV: Passerby**

..

Naomi sat in her last class of the day, the week actually. She was thirty minutes through the fifty minutes class when she saw it, or rather saw her. In the back row on the opposite side of the lecture hall, that flash of red amongst the washed out surroundings.

Realizing she'd been staring Naomi snapped her head back in the direction of the board. She writes down the newest equation on it. Fucking math class, this had nothing to do with any of her concentrations but a core credit was a core credit. She found her eyes wandering back over to red hair. The girl's small features currently held a slightly bored and not particularly happy look. Shit. Naomi cast her eyes elsewhere. The girl had looked up.

Naomi spent the next twenty minutes of class playing a game of 'look anywhere but at her' which more realistically should have been called 'how long can I go without looking at her, again.' Either way, she failed miserably.

She bolted when class ended. Sure the girl had caught her gazing at her more than once. Naomi didn't know what was wrong with her. Or why her eyes found it so impossible to not look at the girl. It was if her eyes were drawn to her like a magnet.

Naomi sat down at her desk, a huff escaping her lips in the safety of her own room. She pinched the bridge of her nose with her left thumb and index finger squeezing her eyes shut. "What're you doing?" she mumbled to herself before releasing her fingers. She was facing her open door, as always. She glanced up just in time to watch red hair flash by her door. She leaned back in her chair placing the heel of her hands over her eyes. "Fucks sake."

That was the other thing becoming a routine in her new university life. Watching her, watching red. She didn't do it in a creepy or stalker sort of way, it was purely happenstance. This girl, this mystery girl with her bright red hair, lived next door to her, at the end of the hallway. For her to go anywhere to and from her room, she had to pass Naomi's room. And Naomi being the antisocial butterfly she was, happened to be in her room quite a lot.

A knock on her door startled her.

"What?" she said sitting up and removing her hands from her eyes.

"Sorry," an equally startled brunette said hovering in the doorway, "I can go?"

It was Sophia, and a considerably timid and regretful looking one at the moment.

"No, it's fine," Naomi said, "Just startled me is all."

"Sorry," the girl repeated shyly.

"You can stop saying that, you know?" Naomi said, "What's up?"

"Sorry…right, I mean," the girl stammered, "I was just wondering if you were planning on going to the activities fair?"

A few weeks into the fall semester every year the university held an activities fair. All the clubs put on a booth in hopes of recruiting more members as all the students got to see what clubs there were. Naomi had been waiting for it since she arrived at university. She was particularly interested in the school's paper.

"Yeah, I was planning on heading over to it after supper with Effy and Panda. And before we head to Tony's." Naomi answered. Tony was Effy's older brother who had an on campus apartment with a few of his mates.

"Oh," Sophia said looking slightly dejected.

"You're free to join," Naomi shrugged, "Probably to Tony's as well, I doubt Eff would mind, you being her roommate and all."

A smile broke across Sophia's face, "Yeah, alright." She beamed.

Naomi sat there for a moment, waiting for Sophia to say something else as she just stood there awkwardly in the doorway.

The silence continued.

"Right well…" Naomi began, opening up her laptop, "I'll see you later then, yeah?"

"Yeah later," Sophia said realizing she was being dismissed.

She backed out of the doorway.

"Oh sorry," Naomi heard her say and looked up to see a disgruntled red head sling her bag over her shoulder and walk around Sophia. Who had clearly just backed into her.

"Right." Naomi heard a husky voice say. Her eyes met with brown before those brown eyes flicked back to Sophia again and disappeared out of view. Sophia disappeared shorty after.

"Fuck me." Naomi muttered to herself leaning back in her chair replacing the heel of her palms in their familiar place over her eyes.

..

..

Naomi was walking across campus with Effy, Panda, and Sophia towards Tony's flat. The activities fair has proven worthwhile, Naomi signing up for far too many clubs. Most importantly she had signed up for the paper and was excited about the meeting next Monday. To her surprise Sophia had also signed up for it.

They hiked a flight of stairs before walking down a dirty looking hallway. Naomi had her hand raised to knock on the door when Effy just turned the handle and walked in. Awkwardly bringing her hand back down to her side Naomi followed.

"Hey!" One of the boys in the apartment bellowed in welcome as the girls walked in. He was wearing a black beanie and glasses.

The door they had entered was in the corner of the living room. Across the room there were doors on either side of the couch, which Naomi presumed led to bedrooms. In front of the left bedroom door there was a table and chairs and across from it was a small opening to the kitchen.

"Beer's in the fridge," A boy with dark hair and piercing blue eyes stated in a bored tone from the couch. He had to be Effy's brother.

Effy disappeared straight into the kitchen.

"Tony, is that any way to greet guests?" A fit blonde haired boy chastised playfully as he walked out of the bedroom across from the front door.

A wicked grin appeared on Tony's face and even if his name hadn't been revealed Naomi was sure that look would have been just as much confirmation that he was the other Stonem.

"You sign up for the climbing club?" He asked his sister.

Reappearing from the kitchen Effy just looked at him.

"Fantastic!" He replied as if she had spoken, "Well then, lets get fucked up shall we?"

He pulled a half drunk bottle of vodka onto the coffee table. Slamming it down with enthusiasm.

"Whizzer!" Panda said taking a seat on the floor across from Tony, "Shots!"

Naomi and Sophia joined Panda on the floor as Effy took a seat next to Tony on the couch.

"Something to chase them down with yeah?" The blonde boy smiled placing an armful of beers onto the table.

Tony gave him a nod before cracking open one of the beers and taking a languid sip. "Introductions?" he asked lining up the shot glasses Effy had brought in from the kitchen.

"Panda, Naomi, Sophia," Effy stated nodding toward each one in turn, "That's Maxxie," she pointed at the smiling blonde, "Sid," the boy with the hat and glasses gave a nod, "And?"

"Andy." The boy seated across the table from Sid stated. He had dark brown messy hair and a work in progress goatee. He smiled.

"Andy's Sid's roommate." Tony explained.

"Yeah cos someone's best mate didn't wanna live with them." Sid interjected sarcastically.

"That, Sidney, is because someone's best mate is a fucking slob." Tony quipped.

"Am not."

"Sidney."

"Whatever." Sid said taking a swig from his beer.

"You two are like a married old couple I swear." Effy rolled her eyes and took up one of the now full shot glasses, tossing it back. Everyone followed suit.

..

A few hours later and a considerable amount of drinks more Naomi found herself four rounds deep into a game of beruit. She had never played before, but her and Maxxie, her partner, kept winning, meaning they kept playing, and drinking.

"Champions!" Maxxie shouted as Naomi hit the last cup, again. He lifted her up spinning her round. She giggled, though stopped once her feet were back on the ground and she felt as if she was still spinning slightly. She'd drank in college, but as the night wore on it became evident not to the same caliber as this lot.

"Bollocks," A defeated Sid said following Andy back over toward the couch in surrender.

"Oh don't be a sore loser Sid, blondes are just best, accept it." Maxxie said flashing Naomi a smile.

"Isn't the phrase, blondes have more fun?" Sid corrected.

"That too." He smirked.

Naomi returned to sitting down in a chair. She hadn't realized just how drunk she'd gotten. "I don't think I'm up for another game Maxxie, need a break."

Maxxie beamed at her, "Yeah, getting a bit boring dominating everyone. But you and me yeah, king and queen." He winked.

The room was still spinning slightly as Naomi stood up again. Yes, she was definitely drunk. Checking her phone she found two missed texts, both from Alex. It was half midnight.

"I'm gona head back." Naomi stated turning to face Effy who sat on the floor leaning against the couch, twirling a lighter between her fingers. Panda was sitting passed out next to her using her arms as a pillow against the couch.

Effy nodded.

"Want me to take her back with me?" Naomi asked gesturing toward Panda.

"I'll have the boys carry her back when I leave," Effy said simply before taking a drag.

"Alright, night." Naomi said with a wave and headed out the door. The rest of the alcohol consumed during her last game was hitting her and she didn't like being so drunk. Things just slipped out when you got really drunk. And she always had to be in control.

Walking down the sidewalk Naomi heard footsteps behind her. She turned around to see Sophia approaching at a quickened pace.

"Hey hold on." Naomi said into her mobile before nodding a greeting at Sophia. She had called a less drunken and highly amused Alex as soon as she'd left the boys flat.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Naomi nodded before putting a finger up to say one second. She put the phone back up to hear ear. She heard her friend talking away.

"Hey I'm gona have to call you back…have you been talking this whole time?" She laughed. "What, yeah…no…I'll call you back. Yes, when I get to my room…fucks sake, yes…okay, bye." Naomi rolled her eyes.

"Sorry bout that." She smiled.

"I didn't mean to interrupt?" Sophia replied.

Naomi waved her hand at the air, "You weren't."

"Wanted to head back as well," the brunette shrugged, "figured we could walk back together."

Walking side by side in an awkward silence the two girls headed toward their dorm. Naomi hadn't really spent much time with Sophia. She didn't even know she was Effy's roommate the first few weeks of school. Sophia had a habit of going home on the weekends. This being the first one she hadn't.

"So you interested in the school paper as well?" Naomi broke the silence, finding herself much more chatty in her current inebriated state.

"Yeah," Sophia replied.

The two began talking about politics, well more accurately Naomi began ranting about injustice and her views on the world while Sophia would just smile and nod at appropriate moments.

"Wow, sorry, I'm talking a lot," Naomi said as she finished her latest rant, "Played one game too many I think." She shrugged dopily.

Sophia just smiled, "No, it's fine, keep talking, it's interesting."

"Wow, you must really be able to hold your liquor." Naomi said after a moment, looking at Sophia, "I'm here rambling and meandering about and you look as if you're sober." Naomi laughed.

Sophia didn't say anything.

"You're sober?" Naomi said stopping as she came to the realization.

Sophia stopped too looking nervous.

"Yeah…" Sophia said quietly, "I um… I don't drink."

"Oh." Naomi said giving Sophia an accessing look before she continued walking back toward the dorm.

An awkward silence fell back between them.

Again Naomi broke it, "Why'd you come tonight then?" she asked. Then hastily adding, "I just mean, if I was sober the last place I'd want to be was around a bunch of drunken twats." She smiled, swiping her key card through the dorm door.

"I don't think you're a twat." Sophia said following.

"Hah." Naomi laughed as walked up the stairwell. She felt her phone buzz in her pocket again, taking it out she hit answer.

"Keep your vagina on. I'm almost back to my room. Jesus." She breathed into the phone as she rounded onto their floor, taking a right toward her room.

"Night." Naomi said with a wave putting her key in the door. Not waiting for any parting words in return she disappeared into her room, missing the curious look on Sophia's face.


	5. Chapter 5: Nothing to say, but

**Hey hey. Thank you again to everyone reading, alerting, and favorite adding! Special thanks to anon, kiwi99, HappyAsIAm.x, and Blacksheep24 for reviewing :) **

**Next chapter should be up within a few days. **

**Reviews are greatly, greatly appreciated. Let me know what you think. Thanks again for reading!**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter V: Nothing to say, but there's still time**

..

..

"What did you think of it?" Alex asked through the phone.

"What did I think of what?" Naomi responded as she packed her bag with books.

"You didn't watch it." Alex stated.

"Didn't watch what?"

"Naomi! I've sent you the link about a dozen times."

"Oh, of that smut show you're obsessed with?"

"It's not smut."

"Did you just admit to the fact that you're obsessed?"

"Ugh, just watch it."

"I'm not watching that lesbian smut show of yours."

"Its not a smut show!"

"I've seen the box, it's got naked women all huddled together on the cover. Lesbian. Smut."

"Whatever. It's actually really addicting, one episode and you'll be hooked."

"I highly doubt that."

"Watch it. Watch it. Watch it."

"Why are you so annoying?"

"Why are you so difficult?"

"I have to go."

"No you don't."

"Um excuse me? Yes, I do," Naomi stated matter of fact, "I have to work on a project with one of my group mates for our part."

Naomi did a final sweep of her desk to make sure she had everything she needed. The last thing she wanted to do was have to walk all the way back once reaching the library. Naomi looked up as she slung her bag over her shoulder and saw red walk by. She sighed.

"Are you listening to me?" Alex said through the phone, "Hellooo?"

"What? Yeah, what?" Naomi said shaking her head.

"She just walked by again, didn't she?" Alex said bemused. Naomi had zoned out and randomly mentioned some mystery girl enough times for Alex to take note. And shamelessly pester Naomi about it since.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Naomi lied. She had in fact, the girl with red hair who lived next door, who was in her math class, had walked by again.

"If you don't talk to Math Girl sometime soon I swear to god…"

"Math Girl?" Naomi laughed leaving her room and headed toward the library.

"Yes, Math Girl, that's what I've decided to call her. Seeing as she's in your math class and you're too much of a little bitch to go and find out her name."

Naomi rolled her eyes. "You're a wanker you know that?"

"Better a wanker than a cowardly lion."

Naomi winced slightly at the jab, as juvenile as it was; the truth always had a way of hitting hardest.

"Of all the insults to your disposal, you go with cowardly lion?" Naomi recovered, "Having another classic films binge are we?"

"Just because _some_ of us appreciate fine cinema…"

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Rubbish. What were those movies you made me go see with you? Sex and the City? Two hours of my life I will never get back. Fine cinema my arse."

"Oh my god. Don't talk about Carrie Bradshaw like that."

"Who?"

"Never mind."

Naomi continued talking to Alex on her way to the library.

"Alright," Naomi stated as she looked around the library café for her group mate, "Later."

"Say it." Alex chastised.

Naomi rolled her eyes. "You're not serious?"

Alex stayed expectantly quiet.

"This is ridiculous. Why do I need to say it?"

"Are you going to fight me on this like the whole you not hugging thing? Because you know how that turned out."

"Fine." Naomi let out an exasperated sigh, "I love you." She cringed.

"God, you're such a sap." Alex laughed, "I love you too."

"Whatever." Naomi smiled.

"Call me later bitch." Alex said before hanging up.

Naomi laughed at her friend. Cringing slightly at the memory of her attempting to make Naomi a more "huggable" person. Naomi was not a hugger.

"That your boyfriend?"

Naomi turned around to see who she had been looking for, Cook, with his eyebrow raised.

"No," Naomi said as she began to walk to an open table, "Eaves dropping?"

"Girlfriend?" he continued.

"No." Naomi repeated, though with a less friendly tone. She sat down pulling her bag onto the table.

"Good to know." Cook smirked sitting down as well.

"What, you going to ask me out now or something?"

"You want me to?"

"Not in the least."

"Hard to get, I like that." He said giving her a cheeky grin.

"Next time I'll just lie and say I have a boyfriend." She groaned.

"Like that's stopped me before." He winked.

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Jesus. Let's just work on this project, yeah?"

"Whatever you say Blondie."

..

..

Naomi was walking with Panda. Effy had somehow convinced her to come to the climbing wall with her that night, not accepting any excuses to leave her be in her solitude. So here she was, walking to meet Effy at the school's climbing wall with Panda who had cheerily decided to join.

"I've just got to drop this off on the way," Naomi explained holding her and Cook's part of their project in her hands. Her and JJ had decided pairing off to get the project done would be in the best interest of their grade, each overachiever taking on a less academically inclined individual (Cook and Freddie). Naomi having no qualms about bitching Cook out to get him to work, paired with him. To be honest she had been surprised how well they worked together, once he stopped hitting on her or staring at her tits.

JJ conveniently lived on the floor below Naomi. His door was open but she knocked anyway, as it was a habit of hers.

"Come in." Naomi heard an accented voice say. French maybe?

She walked in followed by Panda to find a boy with dark skin and a huge smile on his face sitting at one of the desks.

"Hello," he said jovially, "I am Thomas, it is very nice to meet you."

"I'm Pandora!" Panda smiled enthusiastically, "I thought you said his name was JJ?" She turned to Naomi confused.

"Pandora, that is a very pretty name." Thomas smiled.

"You can call me Panda though," Panda beamed, "everyone does."

"Panda." The boy nodded.

"Sorry, am I in the wrong room?" Naomi asked, JJ had said he would be in his room. She turned to check if she had gotten the room number incorrect.

"You are very much in the right place." Thomas said. "JJ is my roommate. He just left for the loo. He should be back very shortly yes."

"Oh." Naomi said standing awkwardly by the door.

"So where are you from Thomas?" Panda asked talking a seat in the empty chair, making herself comfortable while they waited.

"The Congo." Thomas answered.

"Bloomin' hell that's far away." She said, "what'cha doin' all the way over here then?"

"I am here for track," he smiled, "I run very, very fast."

"Whizzer."

"Oh, Naomi, hi." JJ said walking into his room. "And hi to a girl I do not know—"

"Hey JJ, here's mine and Cook's part." Naomi said cutting the curly haired boy off. It may come off rude, but really she was saving everyone, JJ included from him rambling on.

"Oh, right," he smiled, "excellent." He took the folder from Naomi.

"Right, well," Naomi began making her way toward the door, "we'll just be on our way."

She exited the room before realizing Panda had not followed. Naomi poked her head back into the room. "Panda?"

The dirty blonde looked up from her conversation with Thomas. "Righto, climbing an all that." She said standing up.

"Shame I already got a boy for surf 'n' turf," Panda sighed as the girls walked across campus, "that Thommo is a blinkin' dream."

Justin. Naomi kept forgetting about him, Panda's boyfriend. Panda's mum had sent her away to a foundation school hoping it would put her focus on her studies and away from boys. To this day her mum still regards her plan as a success, unaware of Panda's nearly yearlong relationship. Justin was a year younger and planning to visit in a few weeks.

Walking across the street Naomi eyed the dodgy building that was their destination. The climbing wall was located across the street from the main campus, where the "old campus" was. An old gymnasium was turned into the climbing wall after the building was no longer in use. It was referred to as "the climbing wall" but in reality it was more of a climbing gym with climbing walls and caves build up throughout the years.

Through a back door and down a flight of stairs Naomi and Panda found themselves in a large slightly cold room. It was dingy, but much bigger than Naomi expected, not that Naomi really knew what to expect.

The door was in the corner of the room. In front of them was a desk and small cupboard with climbing equipment in it. Along the left wall three climbing lines were set up. Each rope located a wall with a different level of difficulty. The one furthest down the line, by the back wall looked most difficult with a built in overhang. Naomi became uneasy just looking at it. There was no way in hell she was climbing that.

Old mattresses covered the floor. A platform of mattresses, three or four deep, surrounded every climbing structure. Two dusty couches sat facing the left climbing wall after the mattresses. Behind the couches were more mattresses and a balance line like rope about waist high bolted out from the wall. Currently a blonde boy had his back to the door attempting to balance on it. The boy turned still balanced on the line. Maxxie.

"Hey!" He smiled hopping off the line gracefully. "I didn't know you guys were coming. Wicked. We could use a few more girls round here. Get's a little macho with all the testosterone." He winked. Though the ratio had been steadily changing over the last few years, there was still a disproportional amount of boys to girls.

"I'll try and keep my machismo to a minimum." Effy said appearing from the cave of the lower climbing structure by back wall and right corner of the gym.

"You came." Effy said handing both Naomi and Panda harnesses.

"I had a choice in the matter?" Naomi asked.

"No."

"I didn't think so."

Panda took a seat on one of the sofas next to Tony as Effy clipped Naomi in and went over the instructions. Effy and Tony had been climbing since they were younger.

Halfway up the wall Naomi realized two things. First, she wasn't wearing the proper trainers for this sort of thing. Second, she was actually quite enjoying herself, not that she'd let Effy know that.

She had climbed a few times growing up. It wasn't something she had ever sought out to do, but she had done some on her mum's various hippy retreats she was forced to partake in over the years.

"That's cheating." Naomi heard a voice from below say.

She looked down to her right to see Sid belaying Andy on the most difficult wall at the end. She watched Andy use the corner of the climbing wall and the brick wall to prop himself around the lip of the overhang.

Once he had righted himself up Andy was parallel with Naomi across the wall.

"Hey." He smiled

"Hey." She returned the pleasantry.

Andy opened his mouth to speak again.

"Oi!" Sid yelled. "Are you climbing or on a date?" He pulled in all the extra slack giving Andy a bit of a tug on the rope to emphasize his point.

There was chuckling from below.

"Fucking hell." Naomi muttered before reaching for the next handgrip and climbing on.

..

..

Later that night lying in her bed Naomi scrolled through her phone to set her alarms for her morning class. A text popped up on the screen.

"_DO IT!"_

Naomi rolled her eyes. Alex was persistent if nothing else, well besides annoying. A huff escaped her lips as she put her phone down on the built in wall shelf by her pillow.

"For fuck's sake," Naomi sighed gazing up at the popcorn ceiling, "fine, I'll do it. Tomorrow." She said to no one but herself.


	6. Chapter 6: Don't waste your time

**Hey hey. Thank you to everyone reading, alerting, and favorite adding!**

**Sorry it's been a bit. Between work and friends graduations it's been a bit hectic. But I am back and promise a quicker update with the next one.**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that reviewed! HappyAsIAm.x, k-k, conv, me, and phantomfundraiser :) **

**Reviews are greatly, greatly appreciated. Let me know what you think. Thanks again for reading!**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter VI: Don't waste your time with politics he said, just chase skirts instead**

..

..

Naomi sighed. It had been a week since she convinced herself to talk to the girl. "Math Girl" as Alex had so eloquently dubbed her. The simple task she had set upon was proving to be far less simple than she had expected.

She probably would have given up after the first failed attempt if it weren't for her ever so annoying best friend.

"_If you don't talk to her, we're not friends anymore." _

"_Oh shut up."_

"_No, I'm serious." Alex's tone cut through the speaker of her mobile._

"_Don't be ridiculous."_

"_If you don't talk to her, I'll never visit. Ever."_

"_Bullshit."_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_I'm calling your bluff."_

"_Try me."_

"_Honestly Alex—"_

"_Just talk to her. It's really not that difficult, look you're talking right now, amazing!"_

"_Shut up."_

"_Just walk out of class next to her and make a comment on the lecture. Simple as that, yeah?"_

"_If you say so…"_

"_So you'll do it?"_

"_I didn't sa—"_

"_Excellent. I expect a full report."_

"_You're a tit, you know that?"_

"_Aw, but I'm your favorite tit. Haha, oh that was dirty."_

"_I'm rolling my eyes at you I hope you know."_

"_I expect a call after you to talk to her," Alex said ignoring Naomi's comment, "And if you haven't, I'll just hang up."_

_Naomi went to respond but heard dial tone…the bitch had actually hung up on her. She hit the speed dial._

"_You hung up on me?"_

"_I was just providing a demonstration."_

Naomi rolled her eyes at the memory of her latest conversation with Alex. It wasn't as if Naomi hadn't tried, or was dodging the girl. Her plans just never seemed to fall into step. Her attempts were just that, attempts.

Monday: When class ended Naomi made her way toward the door in hopes to reach it as the red head did only to be thwarted by every other student attempting to leave standing in between them.

Wednesday: Math Girl was out the door before Naomi even had time to sling her bag over her shoulder.

Friday: Naomi had decided to take drastic measures and moved herself from her usual spot, across the lecture to be nearer so at the end of class the chances of walking next to each other increased. Math Girl didn't show.

Now it was Monday again. Naomi was back in her usual seat. She always found it amusing how even in classes where seats were unassigned, everyone ended up sticking to the same seat. Not that she was any different, minus her failed attempt last Friday. People were just creatures of habit, herself included.

Naomi had decided to stop thinking about it. If she were meant to talk to Math Girl then it would happen. She laughed at herself realizing she was using Alex's ridiculous nickname for the girl. She relaxed in class for the first time in a week not worrying over what may or may not potentially happen at the end of class. Instead focusing on the lecture, something she hadn't been able to do recently.

This newfound focus wasn't without its reprieves, glancing over at Math Girl every now and again. Naomi was brought out of her latest daydream by a uniform groan from all the other students: the professor had just announced an upcoming exam.

At the end of class Naomi walked down the aisle of the lecture hall to the professors desk grabbing a copy of the study guide on her way. As she reached the door she looked up to find Math Girl a half step ahead of her amidst the flow of students pouring out the lecture hall.

Naomi's heart rate increased. Now or never. She sped up a step.

"Not looking forward to this." Naomi stated gesturing to the study guide still in hand.

The red headed girl looked up in surprise and smiled when her eyes met Naomi's. "Me either. Don't know what's going on in class half the time, really."

"Yeah, it's like he speaking a different language I swear."

"Definitely too smart for his own good." She concurred. To be fair their professor was brilliant, just not the best teacher. He would ramble off equations and solutions as if they were obvious. Then when students asked questions he never understood how students could be confused.

"I'm pretty certain English is his second language," Math Girl quirked an eyebrow as Naomi continued, "Mathematics his first."

She smiled. "Right."

There was a beat of silence.

"I'm Naomi."

"Emily." The red head said with an amused smile.

The two girls stepped outside still next to each other. Apparently headed in the same direction.

"So is mathematics your first language as well?" Emily asked, extending the conversation.

"What?" Naomi said before making the connection to her joke earlier, "Oh, hah, absolutely not. I'm only taking this because I have to, core credit."

"Same. I hate math." Emily sighed, "what makes it worse is I never even took this in college. Thought I had escaped math forever.

"Double in Political Science and Journalism with a Law concentration."

"That's a mouthful."

Naomi nodded, "What about you? What non math focus has caught your fancy?"

Emily looked at her for a moment, "Double in Psychology and Spanish."

"Ah, another overachiever I see." Naomi smiled.

"I guess." Emily shrugged

Naomi had a smirk on her face.

"What?" Emily asked as the two crossed the parking lot and made their way back onto another sidewalk.

"So you going to psychoanalyze people in Spanish?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Sure."

"I just…they'd pair perfectly if that's what you were planning to do," Naomi faltered as the girl didn't seem amused. "I was just having a laugh…"

"Taking a piss on my studies?" Emily cocked an eyebrow.

"No, no. I just—"

"And what I suppose you want to be a hard hitting journalist who reports on politics bringing the corrupt to justice with your law background." Emily countered with a straight face.

"Hopefully." Naomi shrugged sheepishly. Wow, she had hit it right on the head.

Emily's face cracked into smirk, giving Naomi a look that caused a supernova to form in the blonde's stomach.

"I plan on travelling after university," she explained still smirking, "maybe some during. And Spanish would be very useful to know for some of the places I plan on going."

Naomi smiled as well; relieved the girl wasn't actually upset with her. "I didn't mean—"

"I know." Emily cut her off. "But hey, you never know maybe I'll have to do some psycho analysis on my travels."

"You never know really." Naomi quipped.

Emily laughed. It was husky and deep and Naomi felt as if that supernova in the pit of her stomach was giving way to a black hole. A pull only Emily could cause.

They entered the door to the first floor of their dorm.

Naomi walked the down the hall past the first stairwell as Emily did. Reaching the far end of the halls stairwell (the one on their end of the hall) she slowed for the stairs surprised Emily had not.

"See you round neighbor." She heard Emily say as she watched the red head continue to walk the rest of the hall and out the door toward the café.

"Later." Naomi replied lamely. A small smile crept across her face. Emily knew they were neighbors. She had noticed her. Naomi turned and bounded up the stairs to her room.

"Boomin' day?" Panda said as Naomi entered their room.

"What?"

"The bonkers smile on your face," Panda explained, "figured you'd had a brilliant day is all. Unusual for a Monday, but happy is happy I guess." She smiled.

Naomi shook her head at her roommate's way of saying things. But she was right, she was happy. She had a stupid grin on her face and try as she might she knew it wasn't going anywhere.

Naomi took out her phone sitting down at her desk.

"Oh, bugger I almost forgot," Panda said slapping her hand to her forehead, "stupid," she muttered to herself, "Sophia was looking for you. Stopped by a couple times."

"Oh?" Naomi questioned, "What for?"

"Dunno," Panda shrugged looking back to her textbook, "Said she'd just come round again."

..

Sure enough Sophia appeared in the doorway not long after.

"Hey, Panda said you stopped by earlier?" Naomi questioned.

"Yeah," Sophia said still in the doorway. She was awkward like that. "I was just wondering if you wanted to walk down to the meeting together, since were ya know leaving and going same places."

"Ah yeah sure." Naomi shrugged. She had completely forgotten about the weekly meeting for the paper. "I'll stop by yours bout quarter till?"

"Yeah, alright." Sophia smiled

..

Later that night Naomi walked across campus to the meeting with Sophia.

The song Super freak invaded the silent evening walk.

"Um I think you're ringing?" Sophia asked as Naomi walked on.

"That's _not_ my ringtone."

"You sure?"

Naomi pulled out her phone to prove her point. Her phone was lit up. The caller ID scrolled ALEX across the screen.

"Sorry." Naomi said to Sophia before hitting answer on her phone.

"You changed my fucking ringtone?" Alex breathed in annoyance.

All she heard was laughter on the other end of the line.

Eventually the laughter subsided and a breathless Alex spoke "Haha, Oh my god, you _just_ figured that out?"

More laughter.

"I changed that the day you left."

"You're so obnoxious."

"How did it take you that long? Priceless."

"I usually just keep my phone on vibrate."

"Dirty."

"Shut up."

"Too good."

"I'm hanging up now—"

"No, no! No, no, no!" Alex interjected, "You have details to report."

"I have no such thing." Naomi rolled her eyes as a betraying smile slid onto her face.

"Are you smiling?"

"No." Naomi said trying desperately to wipe the stupid grin off her face, as if Alex could see it, but to no avail.

"Oh. My. God."

"You're really creepy sometimes you know?" Alex stated.

"Oh. My. God. You are smiling." Alex exclaimed through the line. "You are! You talked to her!"

"Shut up."

"Details. Now."

"Can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" Alex implored.

"Walking to a meeting now—"

"With who?" Alex seemed to get the hint; Naomi wasn't alone to disclose such information.

Naomi looked over at Sophia who quickly looked away. "Sophia."

The brunette snapped her head back up to look at Naomi again.

"Yes, Effy's roommate." Naomi answered before rolling her eyes. "I'm hanging up now…Yes, I'll call you later. Ugh, yes, I love you too."

Naomi shoved her phone back into her pocket.

"Sorry bout that."

"It's fine." Sophia shrugged, "Who was it?"

Naomi looked at the brunette again. "Alex."

"Boyfriend?" Sophia asked.

Again Naomi rolled her eyes. Why did everyone assume that?

Naomi laughed, "Alex is a girl."

"Oh." Sophia said giving Naomi another curious look.

..

The meeting went by fast, as it usually did. Naomi was at a table with Sophia and the other two freshmen that had decided to fully commit to the paper, Sarah and Brandt. Sarah was a boisterous girl with blue eyes and huge 80's blonde curly hair. Brant, a scruffy fit boy with dark brown wavy hair and brown eyes. Sarah played on the university women's rugby club and did the sports articles. Brandt did the photography for the sporting events.

The four of them got on really well. Naomi found herself becoming friends with Sarah, even agreeing to go to a rugby match. Naomi was certain Sarah was one of those people that got on well with everyone and Brandt was basically a puppy in human form. Sophia got on with them as well, though Naomi couldn't help notice the looks she would receive every now and then from Sophia when she and Sarah would joke around. Naomi always dismissed it, assuming she had conjured it in her head.

At first Naomi had been surprised to learn that Tony Stonem was the Editor in Chief of the paper. Though she was quickly learning to never be surprised by the Stonems. She also hadn't understood why he segregated all the freshman writers together. Different upper classmen would go over things with them, but he always kept them together. It seemed stupid, but she was beginning to think he was a genius. Instead of each individual wanting to prove their worth to the paper, they were working as a team and lifting each other up. This made each of them individually better and the paper as a whole better. It also cemented their commitment to the paper, ensuring their desire to stay on once they were upperclassmen themselves.

The four freshmen walked back together, Sarah and Brandt living in the freshman dorm next to theirs.

As soon as Naomi opened her computer Alex messaged her.

_Alex: Where have you been?_

_Naomi: In my meeting…like I said I would be. Relax._

_Alex: I have been waiting for details all night!_

Naomi laughed.

_Naomi: There aren't many details to share honestly._

_Alex: Details. Now._

Naomi rolled her eyes. That stupid smirk creeping across her face again and she regaled her story to Alex.

_Alex: So Emily huh? I think I like Math Girl better._

_Naomi: hah. Shut Up. I like Emily._

_Alex: Yeah you do._

_Naomi: I didn't mean it like that! You know what I meant._

_Alex: Yeah I do. ;)_

_Naomi: Stop it. I'm straight remember?_

_Alex: So straight. So straight you obsess over a girl before you even knew her name._

_Naomi: I'm not gay! She just…I can't explain it. She just intrigues me._

_Alex: Uh huh._

_Naomi: Shut up._

_Alex: So have you friended this girl on Facebook yet?_

_Naomi: No. Why would I? I barely know her. She probably wouldn't even accept my friend request._

_Alex: Naomi are you serious? You know her name, her major, that she plans to travel to Spanish speaking countries, she hates math, and she knows you're neighbors. I've friended people off of a drunken conversation I don't remember._

Naomi sighed.

_Naomi: Why do you want me to friend her so badly anyway?_

_Alex: Because I want to see what this girl my best friend has been so _intrigued_ by looks like._

_Naomi: So basically you want to Facebook creep her?_

_Alex: Exactly._

Naomi rolled her eyes.

_Naomi: How am I even going to know if I'm friending the right girl? Do you know how many Emilys there probably are?_

_Alex: Are you serious? How are you in University? Honestly. It's called her picture. And her bright fucking red hair._

_Naomi: Okay fine. I'll friend request her. But not for you to creep her. But because what you said before makes sense._

_Alex: I don't care the reason as long as you do it._

_Naomi: You're horrible._

_Alex: You wouldn't know what to do without me._

Naomi shook her head as she searched through Facebook. Sure enough there she was, the third Emily down, bright red hair. Emily Fitch. She played the girls name in her head a couple times. Fuck it, she thought, and clicked the friend button. Why the fuck not?


	7. Chapter 7:I'd be lying if I did now say

**Hey all, or rather you, yes you, that is reading this right now, thank you for reading. ( As well as alerting, favoriting, and or reviewing if any or all of the above apply to you).**

**Again, sorry it's been a bit. I'm really not trying to make a week timespan between chapters a habit. Life just sort of gets distracting sometimes hah.**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that reviewed! You're lovely. HappyAsIAm.x, phantomfundraiser, hrtbts, LoveTypeThing-SureTypeThing, gayasawindow :) **

**Let me know what you think!**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**P.S. Just remember it's a Naomily marathon my friends, not a sprint ;)**

**Chapter VII: I'd be lying if I did now say I wasn't intrigued**

..

..

The next few weeks pasted in a blur, as they sometimes do. Only little vignettes of memories sticking out in hindsight. Naomi hadn't talked to Math Girl, Emily, since that walk back from class. Though the redhead did accept her friend request. It was happenstance Naomi saw her everywhere, but that coincidence seemed to end at sightings. Or for the time being at least.

_Naomi: Ohmygod._

_Alex: What?_

_Naomi: she accepted my friend request._

_Alex: pictures._

_Alex: now._

Naomi rolled her eyes.

_Naomi: I haven't even looked at her profile properly and you're already trying to creep?_

_Alex: I've already tried to creep. Let's be serious. But I can't see any of her information, she's got that set private._

_Naomi: You've already tried to?_

_Alex: Oh, don't act like you're surprised. Pictures. Now._

Naomi shook her head at her best friend as she began to click through Emily's photos. 74 in total. Naomi copy and pasted the URL of a few choice photos to Alex.

_Alex: Ooo_

_Naomi: Satisfied?_

_Alex: Quite. _

_Alex: She's cuuute Naomi. Well done._

_Naomi: Shut up._

_Naomi: You think?_

_Alex: Definitely. _

_Naomi: Do you think she's…you know_

_Alex: Do I think she's what?_

Naomi let out a sigh, Alex was going to make her ask.

_Naomi: Do you think she's, you know, gay?_

_Alex: What's her information say? _

_Naomi: Doesn't._

_Alex: Status?_

_Naomi: Doesn't._

_Alex: Hmm. Well that's not necessarily bad. Actually I think that's a good sign._

_Naomi: You think?_

_Alex: Definitely. If she were completely straight, it would say so._

Naomi's heartbeat increased a bit. She didn't know why she cared so much about the answer. It's not like it affected her either way. But really, she knew it would effect her, either way.

"Shall we?" A familiar voice pulled her out of her thought. The mystery of Math Girl, of Emily, would have to wait to be solved until later.

"What?" Naomi said shaking her head back to the present. "Yeah." She stood up from her chair.

Sophia entered her room and walked toward Naomi's bed.

"So how are we going to do this?" She asked.

"I figure we each start on a side," Naomi said pointing to the foot of her bed as she walked toward the head, "Then we just sort of slide it down, and take it to the hall?"

"Sounds like a plan." Sophia nods.

With a bit of a struggle the two girls pulled Naomi's bed off of its lofted frame dropping it onto the floor with a thud.

"Bugger, Naomi, I feel bad." Panda said walking into the room to her roommate's mattress on the floor. "You don't have to do this."

"No its fine Panda, you haven't seen him in ages." Naomi assured her.

Justin, Panda's boyfriend, was coming up to visit for the weekend. So rather than dealing with the awkwardness of Panda and her boyfriend wanting to 'surf n turf' while she's in the room she opted to just move into Effy and Sophia's room for the weekend. After Sophia offered and Effy agreed that is.

"Whizzer!" Panda smiled. "Thank you _so _much Naomi! You're a bloody saint!"

Naomi smiled as she followed Sophia out the door with her mattress. Dragging it down the hall with Sophia; slowly walking into what she called sexile.

With both Sophia's and Effy's desks located under their lofted beds there was plenty of space for Naomi's mattress which was unceremoniously dropped in the middle of the room.

Both Naomi and Sophia sunk down onto Naomi's new makeshift bed catching their breath. The move cost more energy than either was willing to admit. Effy let out a chuckle. She was perched in her bed, sketchbook in hand, looking amused after witnessing the two girls struggle.

Panda skipped into the room. "Seriously, thanks again Naomi."

Naomi waved her off, this being the tenth time Panda has thanked her in the last twenty-four hours. "Stop thanking me. Just promise me you'll get some so you stop mentioning every hour how long it's been since you've last done it."

Panda grinned.

"No problemo Naomio." She giggled at her own phrasing. Then added in a more serious tone, "And remember if Alex ever visits I'll do you the same. I can come stay here if she comes, right Eff?" She looked up at the brunette.

"Sexile Island is always open to castaways." Effy smirked.

"Wait what?" Naomi said confused at Panda's offer. "Why would you need to be out the room if Alex visited?"

"You know," Panda leaned forward slightly, raising her eyebrows, "So you could surf n' turf."

Naomi let out a high laugh before going silent realizing Panda was being serious. Her heart increased a bit.

"Alex?" She questioned, "…I'm not dating Alex."

"Oh?" Panda said now furrowing her brows. "You're not?"

"No!" Naomi said a bit louder than she intended. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, because you know, you're always talking to her…" Panda offered as if it were obvious.

"She's not my girlfriend." Naomi said suddenly aware of the surprised expressions on all the faces in the room. "I'm not, I'm not gay." She added looking around at the three girls in the room. Suddenly uncomfortable with all the attention on her.

Even as she said the words her mind instantly went to Emily. She wasn't though, she wasn't gay. She just…Emily just intrigued her. That was all. That was all she told herself.

Naomi let out a sigh running her hand through her hair. She didn't have a problem with gay people, her best friend was gay for Christ's sake. She prided herself on being a straight ally. But this always happened. People always assumed she was gay. And it always made her uneasy when they did so. And it shouldn't because it was silly really, why did it matter what people assumed, correct or not? But it did.

"Sorry," Panda said looking a bit confused, "You just never really mentioned any boys…"

Naomi shrugged as if it didn't phase her, "It's fine. You're not the first who thought I was, doubt you'll be the last." She offered up a small smile, trying to will the awkwardness in the room away. Very aware of the different yet equally unsettling looks she was receiving from Sophia and Effy.

"Ladies!" A deep voice rang out and into the room. "Looks like you're missin' a bit of the Y chromosome in here."

"_Why_ are you here?" Naomi retorted, looking up to see Cook lazily leaning against the doorjamb.

"To see you Blondie, why else?" Cook smirked.

"Tosser."

"Ya love me."

Naomi rolled her eyes. Though if she were being completely honest, she was grateful for the break in awkwardness. The focus now off of her.

"So's this the shagging bed then?" He asked plopping himself down in between Sophia and Naomi on the mattress. "Convenient location. I like it."

"This is my bed." Naomi replied shifting so they're no longer touching.

"Didn't answer my question." He quipped, "but I'll take that as a yes."

Naomi rolled her eyes.

"Seriously though, why are you here?"

"Oh right, always all business, how could I forget." He sighed dramatically, "just trying to be a bit sociable and all."

Naomi looked at him expectantly.

"JJ wanted me to give you this." He said handing her a folder. "Guess he got started early on the next project, wanted your opinions."

"Oh," Naomi stated, "thanks."

Cook nodded but didn't get up.

"What d'you want Cook"

"Just to know the names of your lovely friends is all." He coos. "Well and to tell you bout a party tonight. Which," he adds looking to each of the girls in the room, "you're all invited to might I add."

"And why would we come?" Naomi retorted.

"Because we're chums," he said playfully booping the tip of her nose with his index finger. She swatted it away. "An it'll be a bloody good party. An you can get pissed an make poor life choices wif me. I'm real good for that, I am." He winked.

"We're not friends." Was Naomi's only response.

"Aw," he grabbed his over his heart and falls back onto her bed as if she'd shot him. "I'm hurt." He feigns with a grin.

Naomi rolled her eyes.

..

..

Naomi had decided to stay in for the night. Didn't really feel up to drinking. She'd been thinking too much again. Tomorrow night they were all going out to dinner and then to a party off campus anyway.

Panda was off with Justin doing who knows what, well Naomi had a very good idea what, she just rather not think about it. Effy was over at Tony's like every other Friday night.

So Naomi sat on the curb of the sidewalk outside her dorm with Holly and Sophia. She had spent the evening with the two, neither of which drank, so she figured it was a safe bet. The three had been hanging out in Sophia's room until they got bored and decided to walk around.

Sober and bored Naomi sat on the curb: a thrilling Friday night. She leaned forward resting her head on her propped up arms Sophia stood up mumbling something about something in her car and wondered off down the car park.

Holly and Naomi began chatting about the class they had together, a literature class titled "Great Ideas" which all freshman were required to take, or as most of the students preferred to call it "Great Fucking Ideas."

A figure walked out from the dark through the car park toward the two girls. As the person approached Naomi realized it was not a returning Sophia, but some guy. Weaving slightly as he walked he saw the girls and headed toward them.

Coming into the light Naomi noticed two things right away, besides being obviously drunk; he seemed almost unreasonably happy and had a very endearing smile.

"Holly!" he bellowed cheerily. "What you up to on this fine night?"

The boy had dirty blonde hair and eyes almost as blue as her own. His cheeks were a shade pink she supposed was from drink or maybe the cool night air.

"Hi Will," Holly returned the smile, "Just sitting." She answered shortly, not furthering the conversation.

"Aw, you guys didn't go out?" He asked. Naomi noticed he had an Irish accent.

"No, quiet night in." She answered.

"Where's the fun in that?"

Holly rolled her eyes. "Don't always need drink and a party to have fun you know?" Holly didn't really fancy being around drunk people, found them annoying. It was one of the reasons Naomi hadn't spent a whole lot of time with her. While Naomi certainly was not in the league of Effy or the boys at her brothers flat, she did enjoy drinking.

"I know, I know," he agreed, "But can't hurt the fun right?" he grinned at Naomi looking for support, swaying a bit.

"Will," Holly sighed, "Go to bed." She obviously not wanting to deal with a drunken kid.

"Yeah, yeah," he waved her off jovially, "All in time love."

Naomi quirked an eyebrow. Holly must know him from one of her classes; she didn't recognize him from their floor.

After a long fifteen minutes of Holly trying to convince a quite drunk Will that he should just head off to bed, and leave them alone, he concedes. The two girls are now standing, Holly gently nudging Will in the direction of his dorm.

As he was about to walk off Naomi noticed his shirt for the first time, it was a brown band t-shirt.

"You know Matt Nathanson?" She asked aloud automatically, as she read his shirt. _Matt Nathanson_ was scrawled across it over a sketch of a tree.

"_You_ know Matt Nathanson?" he asked incredulously, his face lighting up.

"Yeah," Naomi said speaking of the American singer, "he's one of my favourites."

His face looked like Christmas morning at Naomi's statement. He wrapped her up in his arms in a huge hug, picking her feet right up off the ground, twirling her round. Naomi is taken completely off guard. She was not a hugger, even with her friends, let alone a complete stranger.

He finally put her down after a few spins. Looking past the inappropriate hug, she was impressed they didn't tumble over considering how drunk he was.

"I love Matt Nathanson!" He enthused, "Not too many people know of him."

"I know." Naomi couldn't help but smile back. "He's lovely live."

A childlike grin seemingly now permanent on his face he looked at Naomi properly. "What'd you say your name was again?"

"Naomi."

She heard Holly let out a frustrated sigh. Will seemingly had no intention now of leaving.

"Sophia!" Holly said looking over Naomi's shoulder. Will and Naomi had been talking music since she noticed his shirt. "Where'd you go?" she asked.

Naomi turned in time to see Sophia giving her and Will, who was still standing close since their hug, a skeptical look.

"Was a bit chilly, went and got a jumper," Sophia said pulling at the fabric of the jumper she now wore. Never talking her eyes away from looking between Naomi and Will, "I'm gona tuck in for the night."

..

..

Later that night Naomi was laying on her bed in sexile. It was dark in the room besides the light emitting from her laptop screen, which was perched on her stomach as she typed. Sophia had gone to bed an hour or so before.

_Alex: THEY WHAT?_

_Naomi: YEAH! They thought we were dating. _

_Alex: Bollocks._

_Naomi: Like you were my proper girlfriend and shit._

_Alex: HAHAHAHA_

_Naomi: Right?_

_Alex: Haha oh that is too good. Can I hold your hand when I visit?_

_Naomi: Haha not funny. Apparently everyone things I'm gay anyway, don't need to give them another reason to._

_Alex: Hahaha aw come on, it'd be all cute. Malex style._

_Naomi: What style?_

_Alex: MALEX. Ohmygod. _

_Naomi: Pardon?_

_Alex: FROM THE OC! MALEX!_

_Naomi: What are you fucking going on about? Malex? Is that even a word?_

_Alex: Sometimes I don't know how we're friends. Malex. As in Marissa Cooper and Alex Kelly from The O.C., that American show I've been telling you to watch for forever now._

_Naomi: The lesbian smut show?_

_Alex: NO! That's The L Word. You've seen The O.C., I've made you watch it with me!_

_Naomi: Did I?_

_Alex: California, beaches, Olivia Wilde, hand holding, Rachael Yamagata, Olivia Wilde. Did I mention Olivia Wilde?_

_Naomi: Oooh. Girl with the purple streak in her hair?_

_Alex: Ugh. Yes._

_Naomi: What about it?_

_Alex: You're hopeless. Nevermind. So they really thought I was your girlfriend?_

_Naomi: Yes! And apparently all of them did._

_Alex: hahah. Aw man. Not to break your heart mate, but you're not exactly my type. _

Naomi rolled her eyes.

_Naomi: Right back at you._

_Alex: Yeah, now maybe if I dyed my hair bright red…_

_Naomi: Sod off._

_Alex: Oh come on. Don't tell me you're still on about not liking her._

_Naomi: I don't. _

_Alex: that's shit and you know it._

_Naomi: I don't…she just.._

_Alex: Intrigues you yeah, yeah. So you've said. But are you ever intrigued by something you don't like?_

Naomi rolled her eyes at her friend. A habit that had increased as of late.

_Alex: You don't have the stones to admit you like her just yet. I get it. But don't think you're fooling me even if you are trying to kid yourself._

Naomi let out a sigh. What was she suppose to say to that?

"Hey…"

Naomi jumped. She didn't realize Sophia was still awake.

"Could you like stop typing…I can't fall asleep…sorry" the brunette mumbled from up in her bed.

"Sorry, yeah." Naomi apologized. "I didn't realize you were still awake."

_Naomi: I've got to go._

_Alex: Oh don't be all upset I'm just saying what we both already know._

_Naomi: No I'm not mad. Though you're a complete prick. Sophia says that the typing is keeping her up._

_Alex: What? What are you banging on the keyboard or something?_

_Naomi: No. I don't know. I'm off._

_Alex: That's bollocks. She's probably just jealous you're talking to your girlfriend._

_Naomi: Shut up. Arse._

_Alex: Gnite lover._

_Naomi: I'm rolling my eyes at you. Gnight._

Naomi shut the screen to her laptop and placed it on the floor next to her. She looked up at the ceiling in the dark room as her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. She let out a shaky breath placing the heels of her hands into her eyes. She didn't even know the girl told herself. She liked the girl. She admitted to herself.


	8. Chapter 8: It's your secret, why would

**Hello again. I want to start with thank you for reading!**

**So apparently week gaps tend to be my work rate…I will try my best to shorten this up a bit.**

**Huge thanks to Anon, RebeccaLong, and PhoenixWing78 for reviewing. Rebecca you're a reviewing chap! Reviewing every single chapter. (Also, I can make no promises to any of your requests haha BUT I do promise if you stick with the story you should be happy in the end.) But to all of you, thank you, it is very much appreciated to get some outside perspectives. **

**Please let me know what you think! Thanks again for reading. I appreciate your patients with this slow build.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter VIII: It's your secret, why would you tell it to me**

..

..

"You came!"

Naomi turned to see a very muddy Sarah walking off the pitch toward her. Naomi had come to watch her rugby match.

"I told you I would." Naomi smiled.

Sarah grinned, "D'you enjoy yourself?"

"Yeah," Naomi replied, "but to be honest, didn't really have a clue what was going on most of the time."

Sarah laughed. "Yeah, most people don't when they see their first match. Come to enough and you'll pick it up."

"Right."

"Stay for the guys game. I'll explain the chaos." She offered as she waved to an equally muddy teammate that walked by.

Naomi shrugged. "Sure." She didn't have any plans anyway.

"Excellent." Sarah smiled. "Come meet some of my mates."

Naomi stood with a group of rugby girls trying to keep up with the conversation. They were joking and using terminology Naomi had never heard before.

"Finally!" Sarah said as a teammate of hers approaches with a cooler. Taking two beers she handed Naomi one as they make their way to the side of the pitch; the guys match about to start.

Naomi's eyes widened as she took the beer. "It's like…noon."

Sarah laughed as she took a swig from her beer. "Saturday is game day." She said in a singsong voice.

As the match ended Naomi was feeling a slight buzz. Despite not knowing much about rugby she was enjoying herself.

"Pussy!" she heard Sarah exclaim as a large bloke walked off the pitch.

"Sarah!" he exclaimed with equal enthusiasm encircling her in a bear hug. "You coming to the drink up?" he asked.

"Course!" she smiled. "Good match. Some nice hits out there."

"Thanks." He said as his eyes turned to Naomi. "Who's your friend?"

"Naomi, this is Pussy, Pussy this Naomi" Sarah said introducing the two.

"Nice to meet you Naomi." He smiled, "See you guys at the drink up!" he added before walking off toward the cooler where a number of his teammates had already congregated.

"Did you just call him a pussy?" Naomi asked stunned. "And him not get offended?"

Sarah laughed. "That's his rugby name." she explained nonchalantly.

"His what?" Naomi asked. What in hell was a rugby name?

"You're coming to the drink up, yeah?" Sarah asked expectantly.

"Why not." Naomi shrugged. Not that she had a clue what she was agreeing to.

The drink up was at a dodgy bar in town. It turns out a drink up was a celebration of sorts that took place after a rugby match. All the teams got together and drank and sang songs and partook in general shenanigans. Naomi had been anything but prepared.

As they walked in Sarah turned to Naomi, blue eyes set on blue. "One: watch your drink. Two: If you don't know the words, don't sing along. And most importantly, never, ever, agree to be the rugby queen."

That was the only warning Naomi got. And while at the time Naomi was clueless as to what Sarah's words meant, they proved to be wise. Boys tried to drop pence into her cup to make her down her beer. Rugby songs (who even knew such things existed) were sung and fouled lyrics resulted in "shooting the boot" which she learned meant filling a dirty boot full of beer and downing it. And the rugby queen was hoisted onto a few blokes' shoulders and flashed her tits.

It was some good wholesome debauchery. And she had thoroughly enjoyed herself.

A few hours later Naomi stumbled back to campus. She had forgotten it was well before dinner until she walked out of the bar into the bright light of day.

..

"Fancy seeing you here." Naomi smirked. The amount of beer consumed in the early afternoon opening the floodgates of words usually filtered out.

The redhead looked up to see who had spoken. An amused look graced her usually unreadable face.

"I could say the same." She tossed back.

Naomi grinned. The two girls were on the sidewalk that led to the far end of their dorm. Emily, a few steps in front of the blonde, had stopped as Naomi meandered to her side.

"Early start today?" Emily quirked an eyebrow, noticing Naomi weave slightly before stopping at the redhead's side.

"What?"

"Bit early for some pre-drinks don't you think?"

"I'm not drunk." Naomi stated, catching on to what Emily was insinuating.

"Is that so?" Emily gives her a questioning look, "You always zigzag along the path then?"

"Yup." Naomi affirms with a nod of the head. "Never walk in a straight line, really." She added. Which was true, Naomi really never did walked in a straight line. Years of Alex muttering 'will you stop bumping into me?' and 'I swear you'd probably walk a straighter line completely pissed' had confirmed that.

Naomi couldn't read the look Emily was currently giving her, her head cocked in an assessing look. But Naomi also could have sworn there was amusement somewhere in her slightly narrowed eyes. Then again Naomi was quite drunk. That's what she gets for spending a Saturday afternoon with ruggers.

"I see." Emily said as she began to walk toward the dorm again. Naomi not even a half step behind. The blonde got to the door first and opened it for Emily.

"I went to my mates rugby match." Naomi explained as she followed Emily through the door. "Did you know they have something called a drink up after every match with the other team?"

Emily looked at her, "No." she said as she turned up the first stairwell, Naomi following.

"Me either." Naomi said raising her eyebrows. "But they do. With kegs. Lots, and lots of kegs."

A small smile broke on Emily's face. Obviously amused by the blonde's drunken chatty state.

"Good to know." She bemused. "so lots and lots of kegs and you're not drunk?"

Naomi smirked sheepishly, "maybe a bit."

"Uh huh."

Naomi bumped into Emily slightly as they made their way down the hall.

"Sorry." Naomi apologized. It was the briefest of contact but it still startled Naomi.

"Maybe a bit?" Emily questioned with a raised eyebrow. The amused smirk on her face doing things to Naomi's stomach. Things that had nothing to do with the amount of alcohol she'd drank.

"Maybe a bit more than a bit." She admitted cheekily.

Naomi couldn't describe the look she earned from Emily. She wasn't sure if it made her more nervous or thrilled. But whatever was going on in her stomach beforehand, intensified ten fold.

"Naomi!"

They had just walked by Effy and Sophia's room. Naomi turned to see Sophia now in the doorway.

"Hey," Sophia began but stopped when she noticed Emily.

Following her gaze Naomi noticed Emily's face had become unreadable again as she kept going. She could have sworn she saw a disdainful look pass between the two but that didn't make sense. And she was drunk she told herself.

"Later, neighbor." She heard the redhead say without turning to look back.

She felt torn wanting to continue on with Emily who had not stopped walking.

"Later." She felt annoyed at Sophia, though she knew she had no right to be.

"Where've you been?" Sophia asked as she watched Emily continue on down the hall before reverting her gaze back to Naomi. "I came round earlier to see if you wanted to hangout."

"Oh," Naomi responded, "I went at Sarah's rugby match."

"I didn't know she had a match." Sophia said sounding slightly dejected.

"She asked me bout going a few meetings ago." Naomi said confused about Sophia's current mood. "We could hangout now though?" she added.

"Yeah!" Sophia said cheering up. "That'd be ace."

Naomi followed Sophia into her room. Her eyes locked to her left looking down the hall where Emily had been until out of sight.

..

..

"You should just tell her."

"Absolutely not."

It was Sunday evening and Naomi had caved into her distracted mind, taking a break from her essay.

"Oh, come on!" Alex stated through the line. Exasperation lacing every word. "You like her. I know it. You know it. Why shouldn't she know it?"

"Alex, Emily and I have had about three conversation our entire lives. So the idea that I should tell her I like her, is a bit ridiculous."

"You're ridiculous!" Alex exclaimed. "What do you have to lose?"

"You mean besides my dignity?" Naomi retorted. "And besides, I'm not even gay!"

"Oh not this again. Will you just stop."

"What?"

"Stop focusing on labels and titles will you?" Alex sighed, "For someone constantly on about not judging you seem to do it to yourself quite a lot."

Naomi opened and closed her mouth. No adequate words coming to air.

"Naomi," Alex stated more kindly, "just let yourself go with the flow for once, yeah?"

Naomi let out a sigh pinching the bridge of her nose with her left thumb and index finger. She always had to be in control.

"Yeah, alright." She breathed.

"Push yourself out of your comfort zone."

"I'm not just going to go up to her and tell her I fancy her. I'm not. I can't." Naomi almost pleaded.

"Fine." Alex conceded before adding almost devilishly, "Then let me."

"What? What are you on about?"

"She's got a messenger right?" Alex stated.

"Yeah…" Naomi hesitated.

"So let me message her."

"And what have you be all 'my friend fancies you'? you've got to be joking."

"Yeah! Why not?" Alex said indignantly. "I won't give your name or anything! It'd be perfect."

"We don't even know if she's, you know…"

"Lebanese?"

"Shut up. I'm serious."

"Well, what better way to find out? Since you apparently can't find the stones to ask yourself?"

Naomi hesitated. And that's all Alex needed to know she'd eventually agree to it. After placating Naomi a bit more, Alex eventually wrestled Emily's messenger name from her.

"No, I won't talk to her unless you approve. No, I will not tell her its you. Yes I'll tell you everything we talk about…"

"Okay," Naomi breathed quietly.

"Yes!" Alex squeals. "I'll talk to you on messenger." Naomi hears her say before ending the call.

Signing online Naomi feels a flutter of nerves in her stomach. She's not even the one that's going to be talking to Emily yet even the thought of her has an effect.

_Naomi: Wait._

_Alex: What now…_

_Naomi: What if she…what if she's seeing someone?_

_Alex: What if she has a girlfriend?_

_Naomi: Yeah…_

_Alex: Well, one way to find out. Or you'll just pickle in all these what ifs._

Naomi let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Alex was right.

_Naomi: Alright, do it._

A few moments later a message from Alex popped up on Naomi's screen.

_Alex: And Sent._

There was a long moment that stretched itself out in the silence. Naomi sat motionless. She couldn't believe she'd agreed to this.

_Alex: Ohmygod. She replied._

Naomi felt her heart palpitate.


	9. Chapter 9: Noises, I play within my head

**Hello, hello. Here we are again. And again, thank you for reading!**

**Drat, well I failed miserably at posting this chapter up quicker than the last. I can only apologize. I have no valid excuse for you, I merely became distracted and then it was pride. I can however say, I do not intend to make you wait so long for an update again.**

**Huge thanks to PhoenixWing78, KK, Anon, Lovecraft, FreakFlagFlyin, phantomfundraiser, and mUfF MuNcHeR for reviewing, you're all ace. As always, you're input is greatly appreciated.**

**Please let me know what you think! Thank you for reading. Bare with me, this is by far my longest chapter yet. But stick with it; you're going to want the next (if that's not too presumptuous of me to say).**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter IX: Noises, I play within my head**

..

..

"What d'you think it is?" Panda asked.

"Whatever it is," Naomi stated staring down at the floor, "it's not normal."

"Mum spent bout a hour tryin' to scrub it out before you moved in." Panda said. " She nearly went all hubbly bubbly when it wouldn't come out. She did a whacker job tryin' to though, thought she was gona scrub a hole through the floor."

The two roommates stared down at their floor. To be more specific they stared at the large unidentifiable stain located in the middle of the room in front of their desks. It was there when they had moved in. On sleepless nights and stir-crazy moments over books they would converse about its origins and properties. This being one of those such times.

"Do you think someone spilt their coffee?" Naomi queried.

"Naw, I reckon me Mum would have gotten that out. It's a bugger of a stain, whatever it is."

"True. I really haven't the faintest what it is."

"Me neither," Panda concurred, "you don't think it's like blinkin' alien or somethin' do you?"

Naomi laughed, "I duno Panda, I think you might just be right. I swear its slowly shifting location."

"Bonkers." Panda agreed.

They both turned to the door as they heard a knock.

"Hello Panda," Thomas greeted from the doorway, "hello Naomi."

"Thommo!"

"Hi Thomas."

"You ready for chemistry?" Thomas asked Panda.

"Course!" Panda beamed as she picked up her books and dropped them on the floor.

"Do you mind if we work in here?" Panda asked.

"Course not." Naomi answered. They had been spending a lot of time together, Panda and Thomas: studying, watching movies. Naomi raised an eyebrow at Panda who gave her an innocent smile in return.

Naomi turned her attention back to her textbook as Panda and Thomas hunkered down on the floor together over their chemistry.

Two pages later Naomi phone vibrated on the desk. She rolled her eyes, so much for studying. Hitting answer she put the phone to her ear.

"Soo…I met a girl." Alex breathed into the line.

"Is that so?" Naomi chuckled leaning back in her chair.

"Yes. And she's beautiful." Alex sighed.

"Beautiful and straight I'm assuming." Naomi added, Alex had an affinity for straight girls. Or straight girls had an affinity for her, as Alex would claim.

"Shut up."

"Okay, tell me the story."

"So I was at the dentist…" Alex began.

Naomi laughed as Alex finished her story.

"…So naturally I got her number."

"Please tell me her parent's are dentists and her name starts with an H so I can call her Hermione and pretend she's a witch."

Alex was silent for a moment. "There are so many things I want to say to you about that statement…"

"Oh, shut up." Naomi defended, "you should be happy I can make any kind of pop culture reference, really."

"Books don't count." Naomi heard her friend say as she rolled her eyes, "_Fantasy_ books, especially, don't count."

"Oh don't start. You read all of those Twilight books."

"That was different." Alex deadpanned.

"Why, because they're not actual literature?" Naomi scoffed.

"Whatever. Do you want to know if she's texted me already or not?" Alex said rerouting the conversation.

"Of course." Naomi complied, of course the girl did.

"So what's this dentist girl's name?" Naomi asked a few minutes later, "Or am I just going to call her Hermione? Which, might I add, I may anyhow."

Alex was silent for a moment.

"Oh my god," Naomi smirked, "Don't tell me her name _is _actuallyHermione?"

"Oh sod off. Course it isn't." Alex stated. "Don't be ridiculous."

"So lets have it then." Naomi prodded.

Alex huffed into the phone. "Emma." She mumbled.

"What was that?" Naomi asked, a wicked smile creeping across her face.

"Emma." Alex said a bit louder.

"HAH!" Naomi exclaimed before subduing herself, a surprised Panda looked up from her book, "haha, that, is even better."

"Fuck off."

"There are so many things I would like to say to you right now." Naomi said failing at keeping her tone serious, clearly taking the piss at what Alex had said to her earlier.

"Ohmygod." Alex said in a surprised tone.

"Oh, don't try and change the subject." Naomi rolled her eyes. It was too good to let up on just yet.

"No, no, no." Alex stated, "You're going to want to hear this."

"What she text you wanting a shag or something?"

"Oh no," Alex said, "This has nothing to do with," she paused, "Dentist Girl." She finished obviously deciding it was the lesser of two evils.

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Then what?"

"You'll never guess who just messaged me." Naomi could practically hear the smirk in Alex's voice. She felt her chest tighten.

"Who?" Naomi's voice suddenly softer.

"Guess."

"Do I even need to?" she asked. Her room suddenly felt quite a deal warmer than it had a moment ago, despite the open window and the crisp fall weather outside it.

"Want to know what our dear Math Girl said?" Alex asked with a curious satisfaction. "She's asking for a hint."

Current Facts (of the inquiry and wooing of one Emily Fitch):

Emily initially responding: good sign.

Emily not being offended or immediately stating she was straight: good sign.

Emily evading relationship status: bad sign.

Emily avoiding definitive answers about herself: bad sign.

Emily messaging Alex again: good sign.

Emily wanting hints: terrifying.

Current standings (in terms of positive to negative findings): debatable.

Naomi sat silent.

"Oh keep calm will you?" Alex sighed into the line. "Obviously I'm not going to give her a hint."

Naomi let out a sigh of her own. The indescribable tightness that had formed in her chest intensified as she glanced over at Panda and Thomas who were studiously immersed in their books.

..

..

"You decided yet what you want to be for Halloween?" Panda asked her head following the movement of her eyes around the store.

"Not really," Naomi shrugged, "You?"

"Not a clue." Panda answered wandering down one of the aisles with costumes. Naomi followed suit. The boys were having a party at their flat, naturally, so the two had gone out to find costumes.

Naomi followed Panda down the aisles not feeling particularly inspired by any of the options.

"Blondie!" Naomi heard bellowed behind her. There was only one person who called her that.

She turned around giving a forced smile to find none other than Cook.

"Cook." She returned.

"Always so cheery." He teased leaning against the shelving. "That your costume?" He added with a smirk referring to the nurse costume Naomi happened to be standing in front of.

"You wish."

"I think it's perfect for you," he cooed, "I got something you can nurse."

Naomi scoffed. "Like your ego after I shoot you down again?"

Cook chuckled. "Nice one Blondie."

"The last thing Cook needs nursed is his ego." Freddie said joining them in the aisle, followed by JJ and Thomas.

"Well if it isn't the three musketeers." Naomi said, "And Thomas."

Thomas smiled.

"Aw, Naomikins you know you're our fourth." Cook said. She rolled her eyes.

"Naomi did you find anything yet—" she cut herself off, "Thommo! Hi!"

"Hello, Panda" he returned.

"You all gettin' costumes as well?" she asked. "I'm useless tryin' to findin' a costume for this party."

"Party?" Cook chimed in, raising his eyebrows, "why didn't you say so Blondie?"

"For obvious reasons." Naomi smiled back.

"Oh," Panda said, "Well you're all welcome, I'm sure the boys wouldn't mind. More the merrier," She beamed. "Thommo have you found a costume yet?"

"I have not." Thomas answered.

Naomi quirked an eyebrow as the two went off to find costumes together.

"So, this party," Cook began, Naomi turned her attention back to him, "that fit friend of yours going to be there?"

"Who?"

"You know the one's room we we're in the other day. You had your fuck bed on the floor."

JJ and Freddie developed the same confused expression on their faces at Cook's words. Naomi rolled her eyes.

"It was not a fuck bed," she sighed, "Jesus."

"Whatever, well will she be there?"

"Effy?" Naomi said as a light bulb went off in her head, "yeah, she'll be there. It's at her brothers flat." She smirked before adding, "older brother's flat."

"Right," Cook nodded undeterred. "Then we're in."

"Cook." Freddie interjected, "what about that other party we already said we'd go to?"

"Sod it." Cook waved the idea off. "Freddie, you've got to see this bird, she is mint."

"Whatever," Freddie said, "she can't be as beautiful as the girl I saw moving in day."

Naomi watched as Freddie got this far away look on his face, a lopsided grin sneaking across it.

"Bloody hell," Cook stated, "not this again."

Naomi raised an eyebrow.

"He saw some fucking bird when we moved in, didn't even get her name, and has been on about her since." Cook huffed. "Give it up mate. She was probably some bloke's sister."

Freddie grumbled.

"Alright well, I'll leave you two love birds to bicker." Naomi said waving to JJ as she parted with the boys.

Costume. She reminded herself looking up and down the next aisle. Her eyes finally falling across a package that caused her to smirk she picked it up. Perfect. She thought.

..

..

"Naomi, you ready to go?" Panda called from the hall.

"Yeah," Naomi answered giving herself one last check in the mirror. She was quite proud of her handy work.

"Planning on rescuing any damsels in distress?" Effy asked appearing by Panda's side.

Naomi shrugged noncommittally earning a smirk from Effy. Naomi had picked a knights costume from the kid's costume section. She paired the little plastic armor, shield, helmet, and sword with a short silver skirt and black tank top for underneath. She couldn't bear to buy a costume that deserved the word slut added to it afterward; she was too much of a feminist for that. Not that she was dressed frumpy by any means. She had enough leg out to turn a head or two.

"What are you suppose to be?" Naomi asked Effy who was in one of her usual dresses anyone else would consider a top. It was black and silver. She had a red bow in her hair.

She lifted her arm to show a bracelet with a tag hanging from it. Naomi grabbed the tag and read it.

_GIFT_

_To: Men_

_From: God_

Naomi laughed. It did seem quite fitting.

"You believe in God?" Naomi asked.

Effy rolled her eyes.

"You just didn't want to dress up did you?" Naomi stated.

Effy shrugged in her usual way.

"Well I'm a hippy." Panda stated proudly, "Thommo's coming as a flower. He couldn't think of something to be either, too many bonkers choices at the shop. So I said he should be a flower, cos hippies pick flowers…" she stopped herself. "You know, because then our costumes would go?"

Naomi and Effy exchanged the same look. Sophia joined them in soldier's camouflage; Naomi supposed she was dressed as a cadet. They made their way over to the boys flat.

"Nice wreathe by the way Panda." Naomi commented on the flowers the girl had up in her hair.

"Thanks!" Panda smiled, "Effy did it. It's brill isn't it?"

"Definitely." Naomi agreed turning to look at Effy. "Very…crafty."

The girls arrived at the flat and were greeted by a drunk Maxxie.

"The devil?" Naomi questioned as he put her down from a hug. He was in all red with a cape and horns.

"I prefer Satan, thank you much." He stated before turning to the rest of the living room. "Oi! Team Blonde has fully arrived, who wants a go?"

And with that Naomi was whisked away to the table where a game of beruit was already being set up. There were more people in attendance than one of the boys' usual shindigs.

After winning a few game Naomi walked off to find a stronger drink in the mood for something a bit harsher than cheap beer. She found Tony in the kitchen filling a tray with different colored Jell-O shots. He was dressed in a full black suit.

"And who are you?" Naomi asked, "Satan's butler?"

"James Bond." Tony corrected as he lifted up the tray.

Naomi swiped one as he walked off back into the living room. She began rummaging through the cupboards looking for a drink.

"Want to do a shot of Jack?" Andy asked appearing in the doorway.

"You read my mind." Naomi answered. Surprised that there was Jack Daniels in the apartment and it hadn't been sniffed out already by Effy.

She leaned against the sink as he joined her in the small kitchen and watched as he produced a bottle of Jack from the back of a top cupboard. She made a mental note of it. He poured two shots and grinned at her.

"Happy Halloween!" He said tipping his shot glass with hers.

"Happy Halloween." She returned downing the shot. It burned deliciously. It was a lot nicer than the cheap vodka they mainly drank.

"Need a chase?" he asked offering the beer he just took a swig from.

"M'alright." Naomi waved it off. Andy looked impressed.

"Another?"

"Definitely."

Andy refills the shot glasses with a smile. Naomi looked down to see someone's hand taking her shot.

"Hey!" she said following up the offending hand to find it to belong to Sophia.

"I thought you didn't drink?" Naomi said more so than asked as Sophia put the second shot glass down.

Sophia winced as the liquor burnt all the way down. She shrugged, "I do now."

"Okay…" Naomi said giving Sophia a peculiar look. Sophia was coughing. "Chasers usually help." she offered.

"For some." Andy added grinning at Naomi.

"Yeah well, some of us aren't a nancy." She jested as she handed Andy's beer to Sophia.

Andy went grabbed a few more beers from the fridge and handed Naomi one.

"What," Naomi asked, "I'm not going to get my second of Jack?"

Andy grinned, "Oh my apologies," pouring two more shots he was quick to pick them up before Sophia could and handed one to Naomi.

Naomi let herself enjoy the burn for a moment before opening her beer. "You may want to hide that before Effy sees it," She warned.

Andy's eyes widened for a moment. "Good call, thanks, yeah." He said returning the bottle to its hidden spot in the cupboard.

"NAOMI!"

Naomi peaked her head out of the kitchen, "Yes?"

"We've got another game!" Maxxie grinned, "Well, Sam here needs a new partner, how bout it Sid?

"I'm not playing against you two." Sid piped up from the chair he was sitting in, "It's bollocks."

"Sid," A blonde girl with fairy wings said sitting on his lap, "have you seen the Jell-O shots? They're beautiful, all the colours. Like wow, really."

Sid smiled at the girl, Naomi assumed to be his girlfriend Cassie who he'd go on about when he was drunk.

"Sorry mate." Sid said, turning his full attention back to Cassie who was playing with the bit of hair visible out from under his hat.

"I'll play," Andy said from behind Naomi, joining the drunk boy in a sheet wrapped round himself as a toga.

"Good man!" Maxxie smiled. "And let's make it a bit more interesting shall we?"

"What?" Naomi questioned.

"Loser, has to kiss winner." He said, shooting Naomi a wink.

"What?" Naomi repeated.

"Don't worry love, we've got this in the bag," He whispered to her.

"That's not my worry." She replied.

"I've been doing work on Sam there all night," He explained nodding toward toga boy, slurring his words slightly, "bit of fun couldn't hurt." He winked again.

Subtle, she thought before sinking the first cup.

Fifteen minutes later they were once again victorious.

"We win, you know what that means." Maxxie beamed as he headed over to Sam.

Naomi and Andy awkwardly laughed as they watched their teammates disappear into Maxxie's room.

"Have you two ever lost?" Andy asked.

"I don't think so." Naomi shrugged thinking about it. They hadn't.

"Well…" Andy began awkwardly, "I am a loser, and you did win…"

"Yeah…" Naomi said not catching on, "that generally is the case seeing how we just confirmed I've never lost."

"So," he said looking down "looks like I owe you a kiss."

"You what?" Naomi said her eyes widening.

"The wager," he explained, "I lost, you won."

"Right…" Naomi said silently cursing Maxxie.

"He is right." Effy said from behind Naomi causing her to jump. She hadn't noticed her. "A bet is a bet." She smirked, "Unless you want to back out?"

Naomi rolled her eyes. She knew a challenge when she heard one.

"Bet's a bet." She said returning Effy's smirk. Taking a long swig from her beer, fuck it she thought, it was just a stupid drunken bet.

Andy smiled broadly as he took Naomi's words as an invitation. He leaned in and connected their lips. It wasn't a very long kiss. Nor was it unpleasant. The title of worst kiss was still upheld by Marcus Creedy, when she was thirteen. She'd never kissed anyone with facial hair before Andy and she didn't think she liked it. There was no softness to it despite the chaste nature of the kiss. After a moment they broke apart and Naomi took a step back.

"Well," Effy stated who was still beside them, "that was something." At Effy's words Naomi frowned and Andy grinned.

..

Naomi had been relieved of her beruit duties as Maxxie and Toga Sam had yet to reappear from his room. She settled down onto the couch with a fresh beer in hand. A pleasant warm buzz from the alcohol had settled in.

There were two bangs on the front door that mostly went unnoticed due to the music. The front door flew open and Cook bounced into the room followed by a much less bouncy Freddie and JJ.

"Ay!" Cook bellowed bottle of tequila in hand, "Who's ready to party?"

Freddie gave an apologetic look from behind his friend.

"There you are Thommo," Cook said spotting Thomas sitting in a chair next to Panda, "I think you gave us the wrong number mate." He turned to Freddie, "I told you I'd find it!" he added before turning back to Thomas, "Not the first door I banged down, but fourth times the charm in'it?"

"Cook," Naomi said, "What the fuck you wearing?"

He was shirtless, well; he wasn't wearing any clothes at all. He had on a large baby blue gift bag round his waist that read, "It's a Boy!" and some trainers.

"I came in my birfday suit." He said proudly holding his arms out and doing a spin to show off his costume, or lack of one.

Cook took a seat on the couch, squeezing himself between Naomi and Sophia. He rested his arms along the back of the couch behind them.

"I can see what's in your goody bag," Effy said leaning against the kitchen doorway.

"Like what you see?" Cook smirked wickedly.

There was a thud. Freddie had dropped his beer.

"Mate!" Cook called, "Lock it up man, yeah?"

"What, yeah." Freddie said leaning down to pick up the can. He looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"Let's do take some TEQUILA shall we?" Cook said ignoring his fumbling friend who kept glancing over at Effy.

Hunkered down around the coffee table they all started taking shots of tequila until the half gone bottle was empty. It was a little party within the party.

"You know mate," Cook said pointedly to Thomas who Panda had dressed as a sunflower. "If I were a flower, I'd be a rose."

"Sweet." Naomi chimes sarcastically, eyebrow raised.

"That's right Blondie." He said before turning to stare straight at Effy, "Cos if you put you're hand on me, you'd get pricked."

Naomi rolled her eyes. "You're such a prick Cook."

"Too right" He said, "all prick." He added with a wink, his bravado faltering only slightly when the bloke next to Effy draped his arm across her shoulders. Naomi couldn't remember his name, but she had seem him at the climbing wall a fair amount of times, usually chatting up Effy.

Cook played with the empty bottle of tequila idly on the coffee table as people joked round and let the tequila warm their systems. Naomi could see the gears turning in his head as he spun the bottle round and round. A foreboding feeling formed in her as a devilish smirk ebbed across Cooks face.

"How bout some fun?" Cook grinned looking round the group.

"What are we twelve?" Naomi shot at him. The last thing she wanted to do was play spin the bottle. As far as Naomi was concerned once you were old enough to drink from the bottle you were too old to be spinning it.

"I'm only having a splash about." Cook smirked, "You getting wet there, Naomikins?"

"You wish."

"So we doin' this then?" He asked the group slamming the bottle down on the table.

"If it's such a great idea, Cook," Freddie said, "why don't you start it off."

"Fair enough." Cook said as he leaned forward and spun the bottle. It stops at Freddie.

"Fuck off." Freddie laughed.

"Let's get this started shall we Fredds?" Cook said standing up. He reached across the table grabbing Freddie's face and planting one on his lips. Everyone was laughing. "We're all mates here," Cook shrugged as he sat back down, "Now let's party!"

He looked between Sophia and Naomi as to who he should hand the bottle off to. Naomi gave him a death glare. He slid the bottle to his left in front of Sophia. Sophia kissed Thomas. Andy kissed some girl Naomi didn't care to learn her name. Panda kissed Sophia. Thomas kissed Panda. And it continued on.

Naomi stopped paying attention as it went round the group. She was drunk now and as long as the bottle didn't land on her, she wasn't concerned.

"Naomikins!" Cook said snapping her out of her thoughts. "You're up babe."

She spun. It slowed to a dangerous pace facing Cook, kept going, somehow crept past Sophia, and stopped on Andy. Of course, Naomi thought. Though for some reason she was relieved it hadn't stopped on Sophia as it had threatened.

The kiss was done with quickly. No new revelations were discovered during it. Again, it just was.

"Twice in one night," Effy said, "interesting."

Naomi opened her mouth to say something, but Cook's bottle landed on Effy. A Cheshire grin slid across his face as he bounced up from the couch. This had been why he started the game Naomi realized. Sneaky bastard. She watched Cook waggle his eyebrows at the bloke next to Effy before grabbing her face and kissing her intensely. It was a proper snog.

Naomi stood up as Cook passed the bottle onto Sophia after he eventually came up for air from his kiss with Effy.

Naomi mumbled something about fresh air and left the flat. Andy's turn was after Sophia's and she didn't want to chance having to kiss him a third time. Walking out the building she saw Freddie sparking up a spliff. She hadn't even seen him leave.

"Hey," She approached.

"Hey," He returned, "What you doing out here?" he asked after exhaling.

"Just getting some fresh air."

"Same," he said giving her a weak smile.

He offered her the spliff from which she took a grateful drag. They stood in silence passing it between them. The occasional exhale and the faint pulse of music emitting from windows the only sound in the night air.

"He likes you, you know." Freddie said eventually, breaking the silence.

"Pardon?"

"That bloke with the," he explained stroking his chin, "he likes you."

"Andy?" Naomi asked, "No, we're just mates."

"Does he know that?"

"Yeah." Naomi said.

"Well, I still say he fancies you."

"What makes you so sure?"

"The way he looks at you." Freddie shrugged.

"Oh." They went back to their silence as the finished off the spliff.

"You ever find that mystery girl of yours?" Naomi asked.

Freddie let out a sigh. "Yeah."

"And?"

"Nothing else to tell."

"Right." Naomi said handing him the end of the spliff. "Well, I'm headed in. You coming?"

"Naw," Freddie said lighting a new spliff off the end of the last. "Later."

"Yeah, later."

Naomi walked back into the building and into the flat. The party was still in full swing. The spin the bottle game had ended and even Maxxie had reappeared with Toga Sam under his arm. He winked at Naomi when he saw her. She returned a smile. The weed had definitely relaxed her.

"Hey!" Andy said wrapping his arm over her shoulder, "Where have you been?"

"Just went outside for some air." Naomi said with a smile as she disengaged herself from under his arm.

"I was worried you had left."

Effy and Tony came out the bathroom holding a sloppy looking Sophia.

"She's pretty well gone, someone should take her home." Tony said staring at Effy.

Naomi sighed. Freddie's words haunted her as she looked over at Andy who kept smiling at her adoringly. She didn't really see a way to avoid him in the small flat. Take care of the current hot mess that was Sophia or continue to continue to be hit on by Andy for the rest of the night?

"I can take her back." Naomi offered. She pretended not to notice Andy's face fall. Effy looked grateful, clearly not wanting to do it herself.

"I'll help you take her back." Andy offered instantly.

"No, we'll be fine." She said quickly, before adding, "Thanks though, but we'll be fine, really."

..

It was nearly half past one by the time Naomi had managed to arrive back at her dorm with Sophia. They had stopped more than once along the way so Sophia could throw up in various gardens.

Naomi led her straight to the girl's bathroom, which was thankfully next to Sophia and Effy's room. Sophia kept mumbling random things Naomi couldn't understand as she held her hair over the toilet. This continued on for another half hour or so: Naomi coaxing Sophia to drink some water before Sophia would throw it up.

Sophia refused to go to her room so Naomi led her to her own. Setting her up in Panda's orange fuzzy chair. Her and Panda had placed over the stain at the end of their desks not long ago. Naomi placed a bottle of water on the edge of the desk for Sophia and an empty rubbish bin next to her just incase. She sat down at her desk and looked at her phone for the first time that night. It was well past two in the morning.

Sophia kept trying to start conversation, which Naomi couldn't understand. The brunette's slurred speech was atrocious and Naomi couldn't link together the few words she did comprehend. "Friend" was the one word she kept hearing.

"Yeah," Naomi would agree, "we're friends." Every time Sophia gave her a searching look before being seemingly pacified by the words.

Naomi played hearts on her computer as Sophia quieted down. It amazed her how sobering it was to take care of a drunk person. For all she drank and smoked tonight Naomi figured she should still have much more of a buzz than she currently did.

It appeared Sophia had finally passed out, to which Naomi was grateful.

"Naomi!"

Naomi looked up, confused. Had that come from outside?

"Naomi!" Again. It was definitely coming from outside. Daring a look over at Sophia she made her way over to the window. Sophia was looking to the window with a furrowed brow. It was dark out but there was enough light from the streetlamp to make out a small person down by the door.

"Yes?" Naomi answered. Her heart rate increasing: she knew she had recognized that voice.

"Can you let me in?" Emily called out looking up at Naomi leaning out her window, "I've forgotten my key card."

"Yeah, um." Naomi said drumming her fingers along the windowsill absentmindedly, "sure." Naomi disappeared from the window purposely-avoiding Sophia's gaze with her own as she did so.

"Sorry," Emily said as she stumbled past the open door Naomi held for her. "I was going to wait for someone to come by…but it's bloody cold out…and I saw your light was on…"

"S'okay," Naomi replied with a smile. Emily was definitely drunk. "Have a good night?" she asked as they descended up the stairs.

"It was okay." Emily shrugged in her husky voice. Which Naomi noticed had a deeper rasp to it that usual. "Yours?"

"It was alright." Naomi shrugged with a small smile. She fully took in Emily's appearance in the light of the stairwell. She was wearing something black and leather with a toy gun slung on her hip. She was also barefoot, black heels in hand. She looked hot.

"So what are you supposed to be?" Naomi asked.

She gave Naomi a look, "Alice." She said simply.

"As in wonderland?" Naomi questioned. Last time she checked Alice didn't wear leather, or tote a gun for that matter.

"As in Resident Evil." The redhead smirked before slowly raking her eyes up and down Naomi. "So you the good knight or the bad?"

Naomi forgot she hadn't changed out of her knight costume. She'd only taken the helmet off. She didn't know if it was the fact that Emily was giving her the up down or the extra husk in her voice but regardless Naomi felt that thing in the pit of her stomach reform.

Naomi shrugged giving her the same noncommittal shrug she had to Effy earlier.

"Naomi who was it?" Naomi heard Sophia ask as she and Emily made it to her doorway. Emily raised an eyebrow when she saw Sophia sitting in Naomi's room. "Oh."

"Emily locked herself out." Naomi said. She felt weird for some reason with the look the two girls were exchanging.

Emily opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by her phone. She pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the caller ID on the screen. "Shit." She said looking back up at Naomi. "Thanks again." She offered a small smile before the scowl fell back upon her face.

Sophia watched Naomi watch Emily walk the few paces down to her own door, answering her phone along the way. Naomi was just making sure the girl got in safe, she told herself. As she watched a drunk Emily fumble with her keys.

"No one." She heard her say into her phone as she finally got her door open. She looked over and met Naomi's eyes, a smile threatening to break out on her face again. She looked down. "I wasn't talking to anyone."

The sound of Emily's door shutting brought Naomi out of her trance. She turned back to her room affronted by Sophia's eyes. The brunette's arms were crossed still seated in Panda's orange fuzzy chair.

Naomi pinched the bridge of her noise as she leaned against the wardrobe. She suddenly felt quite knackered or maybe the booze and drugs from earlier was catching up to her or wearing off.

"Are you feeling any better?" Naomi asked.

"Not really." Sophia answered.

"Are you going to boot again?"

"I don't think so."

"Okay, well I'm going to go to bed then." Naomi stated removing her hand from her face.

"Oh," Sophia mumbled, "Alright." She didn't move.

"Do you need to be helped back to your room?" Naomi asked.

"No," Sophia said standing up slowly, "Well, goodnight then."

"Night."

Naomi closed the door after the brunette. That was weird. She sat at her desk plucking her phone off of it. She sent off a quick text to Alex.

_Emily. Leather. Fit._

Naomi threw her phone up to her bed. She let out a sigh keeping her eyes closed. She really was tired. A knock on the door startled her. Standing up she opened the door to find Sophia.

"Did you forget something?" Naomi asked surprised.

"They're doing _stuff._"

Naomi was confused. "Pardon?"

"Effy and that bloke from the party," Sophia said, "they're back."

"Oh?"

"I don't want to be in there if they're doing _stuff_."

"It's your room too." Naomi shrugged.

"Could I…" Naomi looked at her waiting, "would you mind if I stayed here for the night?"

Naomi had not expected that.

"Um," She began, "Okay?"

Sophia perked up a bit. "Thanks!"

Naomi let her in the room before closing the door again.

"You sure though? Your bed would be a lot more comfortable than the floor." Naomi said hitting the lights before stripping her armor off. She climbed into her bed not bothering to take off her clothes.

"Don't forget to put the rubbish bin by you incase you need to boot again. And I wouldn't set up right in front the door, don't want Panda stepping on you when she comes back." Naomi said as she lay down. Closing her eyes she relaxed into her bed.

"Um," a soft mumble came from the floor below after a moment. "Do you suppose I could borrow a pillow?"

Naomi let out a sigh reaching back for a pillow tossing it over the side of the bed followed by one of the blankets at the foot of her bed.

"Thanks."

"Yeah." Naomi said settling herself back in. She drifted off to sleep, not thinking of the boy who kissed her that night, or the girl currently in her room, but of the girl who had called to her window: their walk up the stairs replaying over in her head.


	10. Chapter 10: I reach into my pocket

**Hello again,**

**Firstly, thank you for reading. So a week really does seem to be my work rate…I will try and beat that for the next chapter but no promises.**

**Huge thank you to Anon, ruckallthefules, ifsomebody'sgotsoul, LoveTypeThing-SureTypeThing, phantomfundraiser, lucie, Smatch, nitaxnitro, and lilytrixxx for reviewing, it really means a lot. As always, you're input is greatly appreciated.**

**I hope you like the chapter. Please, please, please let me know what you think. Again, thank you for reading. **

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter X: I reach into my pocket for some small change**

..

..

Naomi sat in the circle chair that had become her regular as of late. She was in Effy and Sophia's room hanging out with Sophia, something that had also become regular as of late.

They didn't have any classes together but with the significant amount of time they both spent on the paper and living on the same floor, a friendship of sorts had formed.

A few days after Halloween Naomi had gone off on Sophia. Not for having to take care of her Halloween night but for the relentless apologizing that had followed. Sophia was sorry for saying sorry so much and from there they got on pretty well.

Sophia was still a peculiar girl, but Naomi had fun with her. Her competitiveness rivaled Naomi's, and that was saying something. They could turn anything into a competition, which lets be honest, always made things more fun.

While Naomi had found herself spending more time in Effy and Sophia's room she ironically found herself spending less and less time with Effy. She had a new boyfriend, or something to that extent. She still went to the climbing wall with her sometimes but Effy didn't even show up to Tony's some weekends. Naomi always prided herself on forming her own opinions and not listening to others but all the comments Sophia would make were starting to make an impression.

"She's never in the room anymore. Or if she is she always brings _him_ with her, and then it's really awkward so I leave."

"They're _doing stuff_. Can I hangout in here?"

"They're _doing stuff_ again. Can I stay here tonight?"

Effy had always seemed somewhat ethereal to Naomi. How she could just own you in a look. It unnerved her. Naomi even wondered at first if Effy were gay, the looks Effy would give her. She soon realized that was just how Effy looked at everyone, read everyone, and that Effy was anything but gay. The last thing she perceived Effy as was unaware or inconsiderate.

These types of statements were having their sway. Not that Naomi would like to admit it. Naomi considered herself to be a pretty good judge of character. But what reason would Sophia have to be making any of it up? Effy had somewhat disappeared that past few weeks, hadn't been on the hall much.

Who she had seen on the floor a lot as of late was Emily. Not hanging out, just seen. Every now and again they would walk back from math together chatting along the way. But for the most part Naomi would just see her walk by her room. She swore the girl went to and from her room a thousand times a day. Always when Naomi just be happened to be looking up from her desk.

"What're you thinking about?" Sophia asked after looking over at Naomi and realizing she wasn't listening.

Naomi majoring in journalism made it ironic, but she absolutely hated being asked questions, especially questions concerning her thoughts or feelings. She liked to justify it as asking and answering questions were entirely different.

In actuality she just didn't like all the focus on herself. Though this fact seemed to always have the inverse reaction than she'd like—people asking her more questions—focusing on her more. It was like a cat always going for the lap of the one person in the room not calling for its attention. People always wanted to know what she was thinking. She'd been called closed off and mysterious. She liked to think of herself as private and reserved.

She was in control when she was asking the questions; she wasn't when she was being asked. Though in Naomi's defense she saved the questions for journalism. She didn't ask prying questions to friends or acquaintances mainly because she didn't want to be asked in turn. It wasn't her business anyway, if they wanted to share, they would.

"Nothing." She answered automatically.

Sophia gave her a frustrated look.

"I never know what you're thinking."

Here we go, Naomi thinks, again. This wasn't the first time Sophia had said something to that effect. Truth was Naomi had lied, she had been thinking about something, or someone rather. Not that it was any business of Sophia's.

Naomi shrugged. "You and me both."

Sophia huffed out a breath. "Just tell me something."

"What?" Naomi asked.

"Anything."

"You're going to have to be a bit more specific than that."

"Tell me something no one else knows about you. Something you've never told anyone." She gazed at Naomi expectantly.

Naomi had become accustom to that look, as if Sophia were always waiting, expecting something from her, but for the life of her she didn't know what.

"Umm," Naomi thought aloud, as if mentally scrolling through a personal rolodex.

Naomi's phone went off in her pocket. She took it out and looked at the caller I.D.

"Who is it?" Sophia asked.

Naomi looked at her "Alex."

"Of course." Sophia said the smile on her face not reaching her eyes.

"I'm gona take it, sorry." Naomi said standing.

"Yes?" Naomi said answering her phone. Secretly she was glad her friend had called, rescuing her from an unwanted conversation, or question and answer session, with Sophia.

"Go on messenger." Alex stated.

"You called me to tell me to go on messenger?" Naomi questioned, "Really?" Naomi glanced back over at Sophia who was watching her intently.

"Just do it."

"Why?" Naomi gave Sophia a wave and walked out into the hall toward her room.

"Cause if I texted you I wouldn't know if you'd do it. And cause you need to be sitting down."

"What?"

There was no reply. Naomi looked at her phone, Alex had hung up on her.

"Ugh." Naomi huffed sitting down at her desk and opening her computer earning a confused look from Panda.

_Alex: Okay ace. You sitting then?_

Naomi ignored her friend's question.

_Naomi: You hung up on me._

Alex ignored her friend's statement.

_Alex: So I was talking to Emily on messenger earlier._

_Naomi: You what?_

_Alex: I know, I know, just hear me out yeah?_

_Naomi: You promised you'd tell me if you were talking to her!_

Naomi rarely used exclamation points. She found them tacky and excessive.

_Naomi: !_

_Alex: I know, I know, stop yelling. I was bored and saw she was online…I couldn't help myself._

_Naomi: Alex…_

_Alex: I found some things out._

_Naomi: You what?_

_Alex: Do you want the good news or the bad news first?_

Naomi didn't respond.

_Alex: Good news it is then. She's a lezza._

Naomi eyes widened as she stared at the screen. She felt her heart in her chest. It was plausible—she wasn't just pining after some girl with a boyfriend. Emily was gay. It could happen. And that terrified her.

_Naomi: And she told you this?_

_Alex: Yes. And I've definitely confirmed it._

_Naomi: And how did you do that?_

_Alex: Okay bad news time…she has a girlfriend._

_Naomi: Oh._

Oh.

_Alex: Sorry mate. Also confirmed._

Naomi let out a sigh of disappointment and one of relief. After the initial let down she was almost glad. The thought that something could actually happen with Emily was overwhelming. She felt safer suddenly. All the places her mind had wandered weren't as tangible as they were the moment before. She took a strange comfort in that. Felt some control.

_Naomi: And how did you confirm all this as you've said?_

_Alex: Facebook._

_Naomi: What? It doesn't say she's in a relationship on Facebook._

_Alex: Did you actually look through all her pictures? There are quite a few of her and a particular girl Mandy. More like Man da if you ask me…she's a bloody giant. I wouldn't worry too much bout it though if I were you, you're fit compared to her._

_Naomi: Did you just call me fit?_

Alex ignored Naomi's question.

_Alex: And she's from back home on the other side of England so it's not like you'll have to see them together. It can't be _that_ serious._

_Naomi: They're doing long distance. That sounds somewhat serious, don't you think? How long have they been dating?_

_Alex: Over a year…or something like that. Not sure exactly how long... But she didn't seem too keen on her so that's got to count for something._

_Naomi: Over a year? Oh yeah not serious at all…and what do you mean she didn't seem too keen on her?_

_Alex: If you were in a relationship with someone you were crazy about why would you entertain conversations with a secret admirer's friend? Let alone continue such conversations? The messaging goes both ways here. You know that._

_Naomi: Maybe she's just bored._

_Alex: Maybe? Exactly. And that's a good thing mate. Specially when there is some new and interesting secret admirer to entertain her. Speaking of which, when can we drop this whole secret part? Once she realizes it's you, she's got to make the upgrade._

Naomi rolled her eyes at her friend. Though not as nervous about the idea of actually telling Emily, now that she had a better idea of the outcome. Whether or not Emily liked her at all, she knew the proclamation wouldn't instantly throw her into a date with a girl. Naomi wasn't sure which had scared her more, the possibility of Emily rejecting her or liking her back. In a weird way, the inevitable rejection comforted her, made her more confident, bolder.

_Naomi: Maybe._

_Alex: Maybe? Maybe as in maybe you'll tell her? Yes!_

Something clicked in Naomi's mind.

_Naomi: Wait._

_Alex: You've waited long enough. Do it!_

_Naomi: How did you confirm all these things on Facebook? You're not friends...right?_

_Alex: No, course not. That'd be wicked obvious, wouldn't it?_

_Naomi: Alex…_

_Alex: Right…well I was meaning to tell you, you really should change your password. Honestly Naomi you're so predictable._

_Naomi: I hate you sometimes._

_Alex: You love me._

Naomi rolled her eyes. She leaned back in her chair and let all this new information sinks in. Right after she changed password.

..

..

The next day was a Wednesday. Naomi sat down at her desk with a sigh. She was going to do it. She really was. Then in the flash flood of students that follows a lecture, she lost sight of red in the masses. She felt oddly defeated. It was anticlimactic mustering her courage to tell Emily it was she who liked her only to not run into her.

"What's got you so down?" Panda said pulling Naomi from her reverie. Naomi looked up and saw an equally tired Panda gazing back at her with a small worn smile.

"Could ask you the same." Naomi smiled back though it didn't reach her eyes.

"Shouldn't love be simple?" Panda asked with an imploring look in her eyes.

Naomi froze for a second before realizing what she was on about.

"Nothing's ever simple." Naomi replied. Thinking of Emily. Knowing Panda was thinking about Justin and probably Thomas. She knew they kissed during that stupid game of spin the bottle on Halloween. She also knew Panda hadn't come home that night.

"When did everything get so blinkin' wonky, Naomi?"

"I dunno Panda, I dunno." Naomi sighed.

"I cocked it right up, I did." Panda said putting her head in her hands. "He takes the biscuit. He's brill, ya know? Really is."

Justin was a tall brown haired blue-eyed lad. He was polite, handsome, funny, and planned on attending university in London next year.

"I know."

"It's just…" Panda sighed, "When I'm around…you know…I'm just all wobbly in the knees. Can't explain it, really."

"Sometimes you can't Panda." Naomi stated, "Usually the ones you can't explain are the ones you can't escape."

"I tried. Really did."

"It's all you can do, try an fight it, and even then that doesn't always work." Naomi gave Panda a sad smile. Not sure if she was speaking more to her roommate or herself. "And its all a bit shite but sometimes the more you fight it, the more you wrap yourself in it, ya know? Sometimes the ones you try and fight the hardest are the ones you can't fight at all."

"When did you get so good at all this relationship stuff?" Panda asked looking up.

"I'm not," Naomi said with a slight scoff, "Trust me. I'm not."

They were silent for a moment before they both looked up to a knock on the door. It was Thomas.

"Hiya Thommo." Panda smiled standing up.

"Hello," He smiled back, "You ready to go to dinner?"

"Yeppers," She said before turning to Naomi and giving her a small smile. "Want to join?"

"Not hungry, thanks." Naomi returned the smile.

"Okey dokey. Well, laters then."

They disappeared out the door and Naomi ran her hands through her hair before opening her computer.

..

_Alex: What? You didn't? Well that's bollocks isn't it? I thought for a moment you might actually have done._

_Naomi: It wasn't for lack of effort if that's what you're insinuating. _

_Alex: I still don't understand why you don't sit with her. Its not like she doesn't know you exist. She sent you that message the other day yeah?_

_Naomi: Yeah._

Emily had in fact messaged her the other day on Facebook. Nothing revolutionary, just that she was bored so she was messaging people, so she messaged her or something to that affect. Naomi messaged her back of course, but that's where the conversation had ended.

_Naomi: The semester is more than half done. To just start sitting by her now, would be a bit weird._

_Alex: I was hoping the reason you hadn't reported back yet was due to you being too busy off snogging. Let. Down._

Naomi rolled her eyes.

_Naomi: Sod off._

Naomi looked up to see Emily walk by laundry hamper in hand. She was going to do laundry.

Naomi sat still for a few moments before abruptly standing up. Quickly she grabbed the few offending articles of clothing of hers off the floor and threw them into her hamper with the rest of her laundry. Searching for her detergent it joined her clothes in the hamper a few minutes later.

Naomi turned back to her computer.

_Naomi: She just walked by. She's gone to do laundry. I'm grabbing mine now._

_Alex: .yes._

Naomi stood back up steeling her nerves. What's the worst that could happen? Actually, it was better not to think bout that. Now or never. She slipped a handful of change off into her pocket, picked up her laundry and headed for the stairs.

She walked the short way from her dorm to the building with the laundry. It was less than a stone's throw away and also housed the dining hall on the second floor. Walking down the hall the laundry was located on her heart rate increased. She took a deep breath and exhaled before entering. The door to the laundry room was in the corner. Along the left wall by the door was a table for folding. In the middle of the room there was two rows of washers facing back to back. Stacked dryers lined the right wall. The room was empty, save herself.

Naomi felt deflated. Maybe this just wasn't going to happen; maybe this was a sign she shouldn't. With shoulders slumped more than usual Naomi put her clothes in the wash. She was being ridiculous she told herself, why should she feel so disappointed? But she did. She had this feeling that somehow what was never there was gone.

..

In her room Naomi leaned back in her chair. She didn't open her computer. She didn't want to talk to Alex about Emily and another failed attempt. She contemplated doing some work, but knew she wouldn't be getting anything done. So she sat. And she waited. She sighed. This was her giving up.

She walked back down to the laundry room forty-five minutes later to switch her wash over to a dryer. Again the room was empty, save herself. The little involuntary flutter of her heart that occurred when she opened the door subsided. She had missed her again. She moved her wash into the bottom dryer farthest to the right on the wall, closest to the door. As she grabbed her last handful of clothes the door opened.

Emily walked in. Naomi froze for a beat before continuing moving her wash, her heart rate increasing instantaneously with the redhead's appearance.

Emily walked by her and began moving her wash to the top dryer next to Naomi's. The silence in the air was palpable.

"Hey." Emily said as Naomi reached into her pocket for some change.

"Hey," Naomi returned dropping the coins into her machine. She told herself to do it, over and over again. Her heart was beating so hard she felt as if her whole body was tingling. "So my friend messaged you yesterday again?" She felt her face flush as she concentrated on the change falling from her fingertips into the coin slot.

"Yeah…" she heard her say.

"Yeah." Naomi returned chancing a glance at Emily, returning an awkward smile.

Emily continued to switch her wash over.

"So did she tell you?" Emily asked closing her dryer. Referring to Alex telling her she had a girlfriend.

"Yeah." Naomi answered with a slight nod of her head, turning her machine on. Naomi told herself to say more, but nothing came. The two girls smiled awkwardly at each other before Naomi headed for the door. She swore she could hear her own pulse.

Naomi stopped with her hand on the door and turned. "So she said you guessed?" she asked.

Emily gave her a smile that caused the feeling in Naomi's chest to compound itself. "I had a hunch."

The two exchanged awkward smiles again.

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone." The redhead added.

"Right," Naomi said nodding her head with a smile as headed out the door, "Later." She was shaking.

She shook the whole walk back and for a bit after that sat in her chair at her desk. She also couldn't stop smiling. She had done it. She had told a girl she liked her, had told Emily she liked her. And once the shaking stopped she felt something lift off of herself. She didn't know what but it felt good. And what it all meant she didn't know, but she was okay with that.


	11. Chapter 11: And maybe this slow burn

**Heeey,**

**Sorry it's been so long…I can only apologize. Between the Women's World Cup, Harry Potter, a rugger trip, and a new story idea I've been quite distracted. **

**Huge thank you to gayasawindow, phantomfundraiser, HappyAsIAm.x, LoveTypeThing-SureTypeThing, PhoenixWing78, and anon for reviewing, it really does mean a lot. As always, you're input is greatly appreciated. Please, please, please let me know what you think. **

**I promise I will try my very best to never leave you waiting quite so long for an update again. Again, thanks for reading.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XI: And maybe this slow burn treason**

..

..

"Why're you pushing this so much?" Naomi asked exasperated. She didn't even want to go to this stupid formal in the first place. Combining that with needing to find a dress and a date, and Sophia's constant badgering about said date she'd nearly had it.

"I just mean you'll want to get a move on if you're to ask someone." Sophia defended.

Naomi waved her words off. "Got plenty of time."

"Naomi…you've got a week."

"Not so." Naomi said looking up. Was it really that soon?

"Fine, sorry, week and a half."

"Oh," Naomi said, time apparently had slipped by her, "It'll be fine."

"You going to ask Cook?" Sophia asked.

"What?" Naomi looked at Sophia if she had just grown an extra head. "Don't be ridiculous."

"So who're you going to ask then?" Sophia inquired again.

"Jesus." Naomi rolled her eyes. "Not sure yet. Why don't you worry bout finding your own date, yeah?"

"Already got mine." Sophia said.

"You what?" Naomi asked surprised, before laughing. "David Beckham doesn't count, you know." She added taking the piss at all the David Beckham posters Sophia had plastered about her side of the room. A stark contrast to Effy's half.

"Not David Beckham," Sophia countered indignantly. "You know that bloke from the men's rugby team, one of Sarah's mates?"

"Pussy?" Naomi asked. Sophia had tagged along with Naomi to a few of Sarah's matches.

"Joe." Sophia corrected. Joe, evidentially, was Pussy's actual name.

Naomi couldn't help the snicker that escaped her lips.

"What?" Sophia asked defensively, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing," Naomi said trying to bite back her laughter.

Sophia gave her a disdainful look. "He's a nice guy."

"Oh, I know." Naomi said regaining her composure. "So," she began with a tight lipped smirk, "You're going on a date with Pussy, 'ey?"

"Joe." Sophia corrected again.

"So do you like Pussy?" Naomi grinned. She couldn't help but take the piss, how could you not?

Sophia huffed. "His name is Joe. And he's nice."

Naomi chuckled "Sophia likes Pussy." She teased.

"Muff muncher 'ey? Effy said appearing in the door, startling both girls, "Well David is very pretty."

Naomi laughed. Sophia looked visibly upset. "I'm not a muff muncher!" she said with mild disgust. "I like cock." She added determinedly.

"Oh-kay." Effy said her hands raised in surrender, "I just thought I heard you liked pussy, my mistake."

Naomi snickered again, "She's going on a date with Pussy."

"Will you stop that?" Sophia snapped at Naomi. "His name is Joe," She informed Effy "and its not like a proper date, he's going to the formal with me is all."

"Oh right," Effy said, "Your journalists formal." She added elegantly. The newspaper was having a formal, much to Naomi's dismay. It was all too much work and stress in her opinion. And really it was just an excuse so people could dress up and get fucked up.

Effy and Naomi exchanged a look. "He's a rugger." Naomi explained.

She nodded in understanding. "So who you taking?" Effy asked, eyebrow quirked.

"Duno."

"Never heard of him" Effy deadpanned.

Naomi rolled her eyes "Shut up. I duno, maybe Will I guess." Will, whom she had met randomly one night in the car park had chatted a fair amount of times since. The similarity in their musical tastes was uncanny.

"Oh." Effy stated, "not Andy?"

"No, not Andy. Why'd you ask?"

"Well you two seem to get on well," she shrugged, "so I just figured it was a goer."

"Right…" Naomi hesitated, "Well, I don't exactly want to give him the wrong idea…"

"Oh you mean like kissing him?" Effy asked.

"Exactly." Naomi shot her a look.

"So where's your shadow?" Naomi inquired, changing the subject. This was the first time she'd seen Effy without that boy a step behind her for some time.

Effy shrugged and Naomi almost felt bad for the boy, almost.

..

..

_Alex: Ohmygod._

_Naomi: What?_

_Alex: What's Sophia's last name?_

_Naomi: Moore, why?_

_Alex: Because she just friended me on facebook._

_Naomi: What the fuck? You're serious?_

_Alex: Yes. Hahahaha._

_Naomi: That's weird._

_Alex: Uhh, yeah._

_Naomi: You didn't accept it did you?_

_Alex: Nooo. Why?_

_Naomi: Don't, that's weird. You two have never even spoken right?_

_Alex: Yeahh. _

_Naomi: Yeah, just ignore it, I think she's jealous of you, to be honest. Whenever my phone rings or I'm on the computer she gets this sort of accusatory tone and asks how you are._

_Alex: Hahaha. Well I am your only friend…it's a fair assumption._

_Naomi: Shut up._

_Alex: Do they all still think we're dating?_

_Naomi: Ugh. I hope not._

_Alex: Haha maybe I'll leave some hearts and xoxo's on your fb wall._

_Naomi: Please don't encourage it._

_Alex: Aw, but it's so fun. Bet that would drive Sophia crazzzy!_

_Naomi: Stop talking as if she likes me or something._

_Alex: Mate…seriously?_

_Naomi: What?_

_Alex: You're serious?_

_Naomi: What are you on about?_

_Alex: Mate she likes you._

_Naomi: She does not. _

_Alex: Does._

_Naomi: We're friends._

_Alex: Sounds more like a jealous girlfriend than a friend if you ask me._

_Naomi: Well I didn't._

_Alex: Relax. I don't think she has the balls to do anything about it anyhow. Just sleep with one eye open if you catch my drift._

_Naomi: Shut up. She does not fancy me._

_Alex: Whatever you say…it would be pretty hilarious though._

_Naomi: Whatever. I have a meeting. I'll talk to you later._

_Alex: Tell Sophia I say hiii!_

Naomi signed off rolling her eyes at her friend.

..

..

Naomi felt heavy; her thoughts, her arms, her eyelids, everything felt weighted down. She slowly registered that she was awake and swung her arm over her head in hopes of finding the source of what had intruded upon her sleep. Eventually her hand found her mobile. She lifted the offending phone over her head to her face. It continued its pattern of buzzing twice, indicating she had received a text, followed by lying still for a moment, then repeating itself—over and over.

Naomi growled at her phone as she opened it. All of the texts were from Alex. Each text consisting of a different singular number: 1, 2, 3, and so forth. Naomi tried to turn it off but the frequencies of the texts prevented her from doing so. She threw her phone over the side of the bed. It crashed down onto the floor with a thump before continuing it's ceaseless buzzing.

Unable to ignore the nuisance any longer Naomi dragged herself out of bed with a huff.

"What is that?" An amused and slightly perplex Panda asked from her desk. She had gotten up earlier to get some work done.

"My soon to be ex-best mate." Naomi grumbled picking up her phone.

"Oh, you two get in a fight?" Panda asked concerned. "I'm sure you two can work through it."

"No, I'm going to kill her." Naomi stated as she hit the call button and her phone.

"What?" Naomi said grumpily into her phone as she climbed back into bed. It was half nine on a Sunday morning.

"Thirty." Alex stated.

"You know that I am going to kill you the next time I see you right?" Naomi said talking over Alex.

"Thirty. It took you thirty texts to respond. What kind of piss poor response time is that?" Alex said. "It only took Emma seven."

"I hate you so much right now." Naomi mumbled attempting to get comfortable in her bed again.

"You're supposed to be my best mate and it took you thirty. What if it had been important?"

"Is it important?"

"I'm leaving for America tomorrow, and you ask if its important! You know I don't get service over there."

"You're not leaving 'til tomorrow."

"Yeah, but early tomorrow, so we wont get to chat before my flight."

"We never chat in the morning. What is wrong with you?"

"Is that any way to talk to your mate who's traveling across the pond tomorrow? What if my plane crashed and we got stranded like they did on that show Lost?"

"Yeah cos if the plane crashed _that_ is the most likely scenario."

"You know actually, if Evangeline Lily were on that island with me it wouldn't be the worst thing to happen…"

"Alex!" Naomi said interrupting her friend's random train of thought. "Why did you ring me so very early this Sunday morning?"

"_You_ rang me." Alex corrected.

Naomi paused for a moment, curbing her annoyance. To say Naomi was a heavy sleeper was an understatement. Waking her early on a day she could have a lie in was like poking a bear, a hibernating bear.

"You know what I meant."

"Well I just wanted to point out…"

"Alex!"

"No reason really, I just wanted to see how long it would take you to respond."

Naomi hung up on Alex.

A moment later Naomi's phone went off, Alex was ringing her back.

"You hung up on me!" Alex said surprised.

"You poked the bear."

"You hung up on me!"

"You deserved it."

"Fair." Alex conceded. "It was a bit funny, you have to admit…"

"Alex, stop poking the bear."

"Yeah, yeah."

..

..

"Hey." Naomi heard a distinct husky voice call from behind her. She stopped and turned as Emily closed the few paces between them.

"Hey." Naomi returned with a sheepish smile.

"Haven't heard from that friend of yours in a few days." Emily began.

"She's in America at the moment, actually. Family trip." Naomi stated. It had only been a few days but Naomi missed her already, not that she'd admit it. They hadn't gone this long without regularly talking since they'd become a pair all those years ago.

"I see." Emily nodded in understanding, "She is quite the character." She smiled.

Naomi laughed, "Oh I know it. She's ridiculous really."

"I'd love to meet her," Emily said giving Naomi a measured smile, "I feel like you two would be quite the pair in person."

"We're more like an bickering old couple than anything else." Naomi shrugged with a smile.

Emily laughed, "I can see that."

The two laughed before falling into a comfortable silence as they walked.

"So what are you up to on this fine afternoon?" Emily asked, continuing the conversation.

"Drop my crap off in my room, head to a meeting with Sarah for the paper." Naomi shrugged, "Nothing very exciting."

"You spend a lot of time on that paper, yeah?"

"Loads." Naomi said with a laugh, "I kind of really like it though, all the work and everything that goes with it, that weird?" Naomi said making a face.

"Maybe a bit." Emily smiled. "But that's one of the things I like about you."

Naomi looked at Emily, surprised by her comment.

Emily Continued, "I can just tell, whenever you start to talk about it, how passionate you are about it. It's incredibly endearing." Emily met Naomi's eyes sincerely.

Naomi's head was buzzing. "And yourself," She forced out as not to be rude, "what are your grand plans for this very fine afternoon?"

"Nothing as exciting." Emily said nonchalantly, "get some work done, deal with the girlfriend, go to work, the usual really."

"Right." Naomi said. Right. Girlfriend.

The two continued walking but the silence was different than before.

"Look, Naomi," Emily said touching her arm to pause their movement. "I'm really glad that you told me. It means a lot to me." She gave a small smile.

Naomi awkwardly tried to return it feeling more and more uncomfortable thinking back to revealing her feelings.

"Not many people would be brave enough to do that, what you did. Knowing I had a girlfriend, telling me anyway." Emily smiled again. "I really appreciate you wanting to get to know me anyway. Not many would."

Naomi gave her best attempt at a smile.

"Honestly, Naomi," Emily nudged her in the arm, "I'm really glad you did."

..

Once alone Naomi was lost in her head. She wished she could over analyze her walk with Emily with Alex, but she was of course away. So she was left to her own devises, swirling all her thoughts and anxieties, bacteria germing in the petri dish that was currently her head.

Sarah had texted her saying Sophia was joining them for the meeting, and that they were to meet in Sophia's room.

She beat Sarah to Sophia's room. Sophia began speaking before Naomi registered her words. Still lost in her own bubble of thoughts.

"…so I asked him for you…" seeped its way in.

"You what?" Naomi said suddenly snapping herself into the present.

Sophia shied back into her desk chair.

"I ran into Will today…" she began quieter that before, "so I asked him to the formal for you…"

"And why the hell would you do that?" Naomi asked instantly annoyed.

"Naomi it's less than a week til the formal, I figured I'd help you out."

"Bloody hell Sophia." Naomi stated coldly, "I don't need you to do my bidding for me."

"I'm sorry." Sophia said shrinking further into herself.

"What the actual fuck?" Naomi breathed resting her head in her hands before running her hands through her hair. She exhaled a few times before looking back up. "Well?" she asked.

"He said he couldn't, sorry…" Sophia mumbled out.

"Of course." Naomi sighed. This day. What the fuck was with this day?

"So what're you going to do now?" Sophia asked after a moment.

Naomi gave her a death glare before answering.

She let out a sigh. She thought of her possibilities. She thought of who she wanted to ask. And spend time with. And then she answered with a name different to the one in her thoughts. "Ask Andy I guess."


	12. Chapter 12: Don't look at me that way,

**Heeey,**

**Apologies, apologies, apologies for taking so long with another update. I blame being social, shark week, and lack of focus. This one took a bit more effort to write than the others. BUT I am back!**

**Huge thank you to gayasawindow, HappyAsIAm.x, thickfreakness, yy4nmes, and LoveTypeThing-SureTypeThing for reviewing, it really does mean a lot. **

**Let me know what you think. Remember, it's a marathon ;) there is a method to my madness, I promise. And as always, thanks for reading.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XII: Don't look at me that way,**

..

..

Naomi smiled as she held the package in her hand, she'd recognized that bold handwriting anywhere. Alex had sent her something through the post from America.

Once back in her room Naomi sat cross legged on the floor, to the left of the unidentifiable stain, and studied the outside of her package. She turned it over in her hands and laughed. Alex had drawn a stick figure scene of the world in sharpie marker on the back. Naomi's stick figure in England with a sad face and Alex's stick figure in America with a smile. She shook her head and opened it, careful not to rip the finely crafted artwork on it. Naomi had already mentally picked out a spot for it on her wall; underneath her Ani Difranco poster to the right of her Obama poster.

Naomi politely read the letter first; childhood engrained card before present etiquette at work.

_N_

_America is fucking huge. Like, really fucking huge. People's accents are shit. And I think I am in love with New York City. I think I'm going to have to break up with London. Tragic I know. _

There was a space before the letter continued, obviously written later.

_Yes. I am most definitely in love with NYC. See? We're already on pet names. London is just going to have to understand…I can't even describe it. It's amazing. And it's CRAZY. And never sleeps. (Okay I know you're going to say that I just described every girl I've ever been attracted to…shut up.) But seriously. I am in love. I think I'm going to apply to Uni out here. Don't hate me._

_I miss you, obviously. Here's some crap from America. _

_xo -A_

Naomi pulled a bag of Hershey's Chocolate Hugs out of her care package. There was a post-it note stuck to it.

_American Chocolate is shit. Thought you'd like some._

Naomi rolled her eyes, a persistent grin upon her face.

The next thing she pulled out was a small tube of golf balls that had NYC printed on them. What the fuck? Naomi didn't golf. It also had a note attached to it.

_Incase you still haven't grown a pair. Don't think I've forgotten. I expect a full report once back across the pond._

The last two items needed no note of explanation. There was an Obama shot glass and a white t-shirt with a picture of a pig on the front with a small American flag on the back by the collar. Alex knew her too well.

Naomi hugged the t-shirt, it instantly becoming her new favorite.

She looked up to a knock on the door. Sophia was in the doorway.

"What'd you get?" she asked, walking in. She was past the awkward standing in the doorway phase from the first part of the semester. She sat down in Panda's orange fuzzy chair.

"Alex sent me a package." Naomi smiled.

Sophia noticed her hugging the shirt.

"Are pigs your favorite animal or something?" she asked.

"Nope." Naomi continued smiling. Her favorite animal was actually the wombat, because they're fucking awesome. But the picture of the animal had nothing to do with her love for the shirt, though it was a cute picture. It was the subtleness of the shirt she loved. Alex knew she wouldn't wear a cliché I heart NYC shirt, like some fucking tourist, so she got her one with a little flag on the back. It was random. And fitting. And she loved it.

Sophia just looked at her with the usual confused gaze Naomi had become accustom to. The girl didn't get her. And she was fine with that.

"Naomi!" Effy stated emerging in the doorway. She halted at the sight of Naomi sitting on the floor hugging a shirt. "What is this?" she asked.

"Alex sent Naomi a package." Sophia answered.

"Sweet." Effy said with a tilt of her head. She continued after a beat. "But you can't wear that to the formal so up you go." Snapping her fingers in emphasis.

Naomi sighed placing Alex's package on her desk. She missed her best friend. So much so that she had even caved and watched a bit of that lesbian smut show as she called it, L Words, or something like that. She even found it somewhat amusing, not that she'd ever tell Alex that. She had watched a few episodes with Sophia. It was complete rubbish. And she couldn't help but watch.

"Hellooo." Effy said waving her hand in front of Naomi's face. "Go." Effy shooed the blonde out of her own room and down the hall to Holly's room.

Naomi currently had a dilemma. If the stress of the formal and finding a date hadn't been enough, she now couldn't find a dress. None of the ones she had brought to university seemed right for the occasion. In all honestly she wasn't much of a dress person in general. Normally Naomi stuffed her life into her pockets when she went anywhere and dresses were usually less forgiving about this habit than pants were. Effy had overheard Naomi grumbling about dresses one day and formed a scheme with Holly down the hall. Holly was a dress kind of girl and happened to be about Naomi's size.

"Wow." Both Effy and Holly said in the same breath. Naomi had walked out of Holly's room, begrudgingly, to show the two waiting girls in the hallway. It was the fourth dress of Holly's she had tried on. It was light blue and simple. And it did wonders with Naomi's eyes.

"That's the one." Effy said with matter of fact finality.

"I knew it." Holly said instructing Naomi to turn.

"If you knew this would be the one then why did you have me try on all those other dresses first?" Naomi asked slightly annoyed.

"Oh stop pouting." Effy laughed. Naomi was indeed pouting. She crossed her arms around her midsection. She wasn't comfortable with all the attention on herself. "Oi! Put your arms down. You look amazing."

"Seriously Naomi, if I didn't love that dress so much, I'd just give it to you."

"Who knew," Effy whistled, making Naomi spin again. "Naomi Campbell had a body on her."

"Sodd off." Naomi rolled her eyes. Feeling slightly awkward resisting covering herself with her arms, keeping her them at her sides as instructed by Effy. She didn't hide her body when she dressed, but she also didn't show it off either.

"Naomi, you're fucking fit." Holly agreed. "Get over it, bitch." She added with a smile.

"Andy is going to drop dead." Effy added.

"That's not what I'm going for." Naomi said.

"Regardless," Effy said, "Everyone is going to be falling over you."

She earned another eye roll from Naomi.

..

..

Naomi walked into math class with the usual amount of enthusiasm. It was a healthy mix of and anticipation and dread, for two entirely different reasons: Emily and math. As captivating as Naomi found Emily to be, math was still boring as ever.

The class was about half full by the time Naomi arrived. Out of habit she looked up to Emily's usual spot to find that Emily was already there. Naomi smiled to herself. Emily looked up catching Naomi's gaze giving her a small smile. The blonde flushed for a moment realizing she'd been caught before her eyes widened. Emily nodded her head indicating for her to join.

"Hey." Naomi said as she sat down next to Emily in the back of the lecture hall.

"Hey." Emily returned shutting the book she had been reading. Naomi inspected its cover.

"Spain?" she asked.

"Spain." Emily repeated a small smile gracing her face.

"Planning a trip for the holiday?" Naomi asked as their professor walked into the lecture hall.

"I wish." Emily said shooting Naomi a look. "No, just doing a bit of pleasure reading."

Naomi smiled. Emily read travel books for fun. The more Naomi learned about the petite redhead, the more intrigued she found herself becoming.

The conversation ended as the professor began his lecture, both taking diligent notes.

A little while later Emily slid a piece of paper toward Naomi. She looked at Emily quickly then the page.

_SO IS THIS YOUR MOST BORING CLASS AS WELL?_

Naomi chuckled to herself.

_There isn't even proper competition._

Emily slid the blonde a smile. The two focused again on the lecture as the professor began explaining a new formula. Naomi felt as if the air prickled with static, with electricity, like it did before a lightning strike as she sat next to Emily. Though the hairs on her arm were not standing, she was acutely aware of the small distance between them. It was distracting.

_SO ANY FUN PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND?_

Naomi found Emily's tendency for capitalization oddly endearing. A glance at her class notes confirmed the habit. The two had been passing notes all class. Multiple conversations intertwining haphazardly across the page Emily had torn out of her notebook at the beginning of class.

_Newspaper's formal tonight. And yourself?_

_OH, SO DOES THAT MEAN YOURE GETTING ALL DOLLED UP? :)_

_I guess so._

_YOU DON'T SEEM TOO EXCITED._

_It just feels like a bit of a hassle just because some people want to look good while getting pissed._

_INTERESTING._

Emily raised an eyebrow.

_What?_

_NOTHING. JUST THAT THAT'S YOUR VIEW ON A FORMAL._

_Not all formals, this one just doesn't really have any real purpose other than that._

_I SEE. SO ARE YOU NOT PLANNING ON GETTING DRUNK THEN?_

_Oh no I fully intend on it. If I have to put all this effort on finding a date and an outfit you bet your arse I'm getting pissed._

Emily chuckled at Naomi. Naomi felt something bubble deep in her stomach having been the cause of Emily's laughter, smirk sliding across her lips as well.

..

..

They were all at the bar now where the formal was taking place. It taking place at a bar further proving Naomi's assumptions people just wanted to dress up to get fucked up to be correct. Dinner was something you could do beforehand if you wanted, with whomever. After dinner and a few pitchers of margaritas with Sophia, Sarah, Brandt, and all of their respective dates they had headed to the actual formal. Naomi lifted up her shot and downed it along with the others. Thinking back to earlier in the evening when they had passed Emily in the hallway as they made there way out of the dorm to dinner. Naomi threw back her second shot. She didn't need to be thinking about Emily or her enthralling brown eyes. She coughed savoring the alcohol's burn.

It was one of those rare occasions where Naomi wanted to get properly drunk. She was just in one of those moods. She'd done everything she was supposed to; gotten the date, the dress, dolled up, she might as well now enjoy herself.

Sarah's date was a ginger Irish lad named Sean. Naomi had met him before, he played on the men's rugby team, though being a rookie he had yet to earn a rugby name. He was currently sporting two black eyes after breaking his nose in the latest match. Brandt's date was Sarah's roommate Katrina a charismatic girl with dirty blonde hair. She was slightly taller than him before she'd even put her heels on. They were quite the pair. Naomi didn't think she'd have made it through dinner if it weren't for those four. Sitting in between Sophia and Andy had felt weirdly awkward.

"You really do look very pretty." Andy said reappearing at her side by the bar. She smiled at him. He had been really sweet to her all night, not that he wasn't usually, but she could tell he was trying his hardest. She almost felt bad. When she'd asked him she had purposely emphasized the "as friends" part but so far that hasn't seemed to deter his hopes.

She smiled again as she clinked shot glasses with him. She barely even winced after this one. Naomi welcomed the burn. She already had a substantial buzz and was looking to extend it.

..

A considerable amount of time and alcohol later Naomi found herself crammed into a small booth. Opposite her Brandt, Katrina, Sarah, and Sean sat on top of each other. On her side Pussy sat furthest in followed by Sophia, Naomi, and Andy.

Everyone had loosened up considerably, alcohol flowing steadily behind the bar and now in their veins. The music was deafening as they sat in the boom by the bar. Scores of news enthusiast and their dates were currently tearing up the dance floor. Naomi and Sophia bantered as the attempts of conversation continued, arguing closely over some policy no one else cared about. The alcohol was making both of them bolder than usual, exaggerating their competitive natures.

"You're wrong." She repeated. There was a weird sort of tension between the two Naomi couldn't quite place. That she chose to ignore.

"Why?" Sophia questioned.

"What you're saying doesn't even make sense."

"Well sorry miss scholar." Sophia quipped getting closer to Naomi's face.

"You're excused." Naomi countered interpreting Sophia's words as succession.

"We should go sledding after this!" Andy said brightly. Naomi turned her attention back to him. He really was a bit of a puppy.

Somewhere along the way winter had overtaken fall. The crisp air had turned cold and snow replaced rain. It hadn't been a heavy winter so far, but there was an aesthetically appealing amount of snow covering the ground.

"Sure." Naomi shrugged. She was sufficiently drunk now. Andy draped a daring arm over her shoulder. Sledding would be fun. And it was innocent enough she thought. She much preferred that than him possibly inviting her back to his. "Sounds fun."

He beamed at her.

"What sounds fun?" Sophia asked leaning further into Naomi's personal space.

"Andy suggested we go sledding after." Naomi said.

"Oh," Sophia said looking between the two, pausing her gaze on his arm. "That does sound fun. Maybe Pussy will want to, we could all go, make it a double."

"Sure." Andy said genuinely.

"Yeah, whatever you wana do." Pussy shrugged. "But you gotta get up Babe, I gotta take a piss."

Everyone cleared out on his side of the booth. Naomi stood with Andy and Sophia for a moment. "I'm going to head to the toilet as well." Naomi said as she looked between the two before walking away.

Naomi entered the small, dirty bathroom. It had only two low stalls to the right with an off coloured sink straight across from the door. There was less than a meter of room between the stall doors and the wall where she currently stood. Everything had lost its sharpness she realized as she looked around the filthy bathroom. Usually pristine lines of vision blurred. She was definitely feeling the alcohol. She heard the door open and turned to see Sophia walk in.

"Hey." She said as Sophia stepped right into her personal space. She had a serious look on her face. It silenced Naomi's ever-ready sarcasm. Sophia leaned forward and crashed her lips onto Naomi's. She was surprised and she wasn't. The action itself had taken her off guard, but even she wasn't dense enough to miss all the signals leading up to it. Acknowledging them was a different story. But that required thinking which was currently the last thing she was doing.

The kiss was unsure and insistent. Naomi's feet were rooted to the spot. There was a flush from the first stall. The two girls jumped apart. Sophia opened her mouth to say something. Naomi sped out of the bathroom before the girl could even undo the latch of the stall.

"There you are." Andy said, she'd nearly run straight into him. "Thought you'd gotten lost in there for a moment."

"No, no just a line." Naomi lied. "You know, girls bathroom, always a line."

"Right." Andy said. "Well I'm glad you're back."

Naomi gave him a smile that didn't reach her eyes. She felt guilty, even though she had clearly stated they were here as friends, the guilt arrived regardless.

The bass of the last song ended and a slower one started up. "Dance?" he asked.

She relented placing her arms around his neck as his found her hips. Naomi saw Sophia come into view burning her with her gaze. She looked away. Instead looking at the pleasant boy she was there with. She returned his smile. She didn't know what to think of that kiss. She didn't want to think about it. What it meant, if it meant anything. She focused on Andy. She watched Sophia down more shots at the bar with Pussy as Andy whispered again how pretty she was into her ear. She shifted her focus to his face again as Sophia looked up.

"You don't look so bad yourself." She returned. Andy looked chuffed. He leaned in kissing her. She kissed him back letting the alcohol course through her veins. Hoping maybe this would be enough—because this was simple. His goatee itching against her face she allowed his tongue to seek out hers as they danced closer.

"Ow Ow!" Naomi heard Sarah cat call from across the bar. She laughed and took a step back from Andy. They exchanged a sheepish look.

"How bout another drink?" He asked after they were silent for a moment.

"Yes." Naomi said gratefully.

"Another whiskey sour?" He asked. She had a predilection for whiskey.

"Please."

"Be right back." She said dutifully and walked to the bar where Sophia was.

..

A slow snow fell now as they left the formal. It was a beautiful winter's night.

Naomi was drunk. Sufficiently, properly, drunk. Sophia was completely pissed. Or at least that's how she appeared. She was stumbling slightly and kept leaning on Naomi for support, ignoring her date or Andy's attempts to help her. The group of eight had walked, or stumbled, back to campus together merrily, parting as they continued on to their respective housing.

Naomi stood outside her dorm, a drunk Sophia clutching her arm with a less drunk Andy standing in front of her shaping an awkward sort of triangle.

"So you still up for sledding?" Andy asked hopefully. Looking skeptically between Naomi and Sophia.

Andy or Sophia. At this moment those were her options. She could go sledding with Andy and have a presumably lovely time and potentially a snog in the snow. Or she could help put Sophia to bed. One seemed to carry more weight than the other, though she wasn't sure which. Sophia was playing with the invisible hairs on her arm.

"I'm sorry," Naomi said, "I think I'm going to have to take a rain check." She gave an apologetic look. "Make sure this one gets to bed."

Andy looked dejected slightly before smiling. "Rain check it is."

..

"Do you want to come in?" Sophia asked once they had made it to her door and Andy had left. Looking at Naomi in a way that if sober would sent her running, "Effy's not here. Probably at some blokes place." But she wasn't sober.

Naomi took the step forward. Shut the door. Sophia was suddenly in her personal space and leaning forward.

It was the kind of kiss that was too much. Too fast, too much tongue, it was just too much. Naomi always imagined girls to be better kissers than boys, a stereotype proving not to be true in this particular case. Though for some reason she assumed this case to be an exception to the rule. Not that she had the proper research to back up her hypothesis. She thought of Emily. She thought of sitting next to Emily in class today and the charge in the air between them. She felt Sophia's hot breath on her ear. Dispelling thoughts of the day.

From the door they made their way to Sophia's desk. Naomi sat in the chair, Sophia perched on the desk slightly, leaning down slightly to kiss Naomi again.

The two continued to snog, whenever Sophia's hands would venture Naomi would deftly place them back safely on her hips or the arms of the chair.

"We could move to my bed?" Sophia asked, breaking away to look Naomi in the eye.

"I like it here." Naomi stated firmly gripping the arms of the chair. The thought of lying down with Sophia was terrifying. Naomi wasn't sure if she wanted to be doing this but she knew she didn't want to do that.

"Okay." Sophia said kissing her again.

"Have you liked any girls before?" Sophia asked suddenly. Drunk or not, Naomi wasn't a fan of questions. Though a spectacular mix of tequila and whiskey obliging her words to meet the air.

"I like Emily—" Naomi admitted"—used to…I used to like Emily." Naomi rushed out in addition seeing Sophia's reaction. It was a partial truth. Even that, she immediately regretted as the words hung in the air.

"Oh." Sophia stated.

"Have you liked other girls before?" Naomi returned the question, shifting the focus off herself.

"Yeah…" Sophia said. That didn't surprise Naomi.

"I actually dated a girl in college, we were even engaged." Sophia added. That surprised Naomi. After all the discussions Naomi had had with her, where Sophia would come off almost homophobic in her comments, her unrelenting need to show affirmation of her straightness, she had been engaged—to a girl.

"Really?" Naomi asked.

"Yeah…though no one knew." Sophia said, "We hid it. Kept it a secret. Our parents could never know. We didn't even tell our friends."

"What happened?"

"We broke up this summer." Sophia admitted. "Said she couldn't."

"Oh." Naomi said dumbfounded.

"So how long did you like Emily?"

"What?"

"Emily." Sophia continued, "Why did you like her?"

Naomi felt uncomfortable. Alcohol or none, she didn't want to discuss this with Sophia. Especially considering the past tense of Sophia's question was grammatically incorrect in reference to Naomi's feelings toward Emily. Sophia was the last person she wanted to talk to about Emily. That was private. A betraying smile played across her lips as she thought of the redhead.

"I dunno." Naomi answered.

"You don't know?" Sophia pushed.

"I can't explain it." Naomi said, truthfully. "There is just something about her. She intrigues me—intrigued me."

"Right." Sophia said. "Well I like you."

Why did Naomi always know what people wanted to hear? Well, almost always. She could never decide if it was a gift or a curse. But she couldn't bear to return the actual words. So she vaguely placated. "Yeah?"

"And I like kissing you."

"Yeah?" Naomi's panic hit her like an unattended pot's water boiling over. That little voice in her head percolated as the night wore on and the alcohol wore off, until it had suddenly taken her over. She shot up.

"What's wrong?" Sophia asked reaching for Naomi's hand.

Naomi flinched but allowed it. She needed out. Dismaying Sophia would only delay that.

"Nothing." Naomi stated. Her eyes were on the door. "I've got to go."

"Why?" Sophia asked.

"Tired."

"You could stay?" Sophia offered hopefully.

"No." Naomi said using her capture hand to keep Sophia at an arms length distance. "I'm going to go back to mine."

"Oh," Sophia replied dejectedly, "Okay."

"Well, erm, goodnight." Naomi stated, the remaining alcohol in her system preventing an awkwardness to be realized between the two.

"Naomi," Sophia said pulling the blonde into her. "I'm really happy this happened." She smiled and kissed Naomi on the lips. Naomi allowed it. Pulling away before it was no longer chaste.

"Yeah." Naomi stated giving a smile that did not reach her eyes. She detached her hand from Sophia's. Opening the door she closed it quickly behind her, not stopping until she heard the click of her own door shut. Safe. She leaned against it. Letting her head thud back into the wood. She would have a bump tomorrow. The weight of what had just happened was overwhelming. She reached her hand out to her wardrobe, clutching it.

Naomi stumbled to her desk. She opened her laptop. "No, no, no." Naomi repeated as what she was looking for what was not there. Alex wasn't home yet. "Alex where are you?" she said to the empty air. She was freaking out. And she knew it. But she also didn't know what to do about it. And the one person who always did know what to do was three thousand miles away.

**..**

**..**

**** author's note****

**I know…I know. **

***Ducks down for cover. Don't hate me. I promise there is a method to the madness. If you don't disown me I promise the aftermath of a chapter will be up sooner. Have some faith and please don't tomato my house.**


	13. Chapter 13: And what I am to you,

**I feel like I keep starting these with apologies, so I am not going to this time. It took me a bit longer to post this than I had planned, per usual, but again for some valid reasons. Some lovely friends stayed with me recently. And then I had to put my dog down yesterday which was quite sad, so I've been a bit distracted. Mr. Max was 16, so a very old man, but I've been having a proper cry about it nonetheless. **

**Huge thank you to ifsomebody'sgotsoul, yy4nmes, LoveTypeThing-SureTypeThing, SkinsUSfan, rockyourworld, T, Colonial-Cuddlez, and Poprox for reviewing, it really does mean a lot. (and yes, ifsomebody'sgotsoul, that was the infamous pig T-shirt from the series in the last chapter.)**

**I think you'll enjoy this chapter a bit more than the last. Another step in the race if you will. Please let me know what you think. And as always, thanks for reading.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XIII: And what I am to you, Is not what you mean to me**

..

..

Naomi had a headache. That much she was sure of. She didn't even need to open her eyes to confirm it. Instead she placed the heels of her hands over her eyes, hoping to block everything, sunlight included, out. She lay in her self made darkness for a moment as memories from the previous night seeped in. Unlike the light, she couldn't keep them out. "Shit." Naomi mumbled to herself.

It was her first girl kiss. That was a lie. She kissed Kathryn White on the playground when they were six. It was her first girl kiss with consequences. That was true. Her and Kathryn, or Kat, had remained best mates until her father's transfer a few years after. Things were simple then. This was not.

She heard the door open and Panda slowly crept into the room. Panda looked up and saw that Naomi was awake.

"You're up." She whispered in surprise, her whisper being her normal volume with a hushed undertone to it. It was only half past ten, early by usual standards after a hard night out. Naomi wouldn't get up until well after noon some days.

"Panda, you don't need to whisper. I am, unfortunately, awake." Naomi said gloomily.

"Good night?" Panda asked sitting down at her desk. Naomi still had not removed her hands from over her eyes, preserving her artificial darkness for a bit longer.

"Drunk night." She replied simply. She removed her hands from over her eyes, regretting the action immediately. "Why is it so bright out?" Naomi groaned. Wallowing in her hangover.

"And yet the sun shall follow the moon." Panda sang out from behind her computer. Naomi grumbled in response.

..

..

Naomi had successfully avoided leaving her room all afternoon living off of water, aspirin, and a few garibaldis when she could stomach it. She had ignored Andy's texts saying how great of a time he'd had last night and had refused Panda when invited out with her and Thomas.

She kept flitting between turning off her phone and checking it compulsively. She wanted to avoid everyone and she wanted to speak to Alex. Alex, who still was not back yet. Naomi had sent her a panicked message on Facebook before she'd gone to bed last night. She decided to check Facebook again, maybe Alex had checked hers in America.

She heard a slight knock on the door and jumped. Looking up she saw Sophia standing in the doorway. She silently cursed herself for not shutting her door. Sophia had a nervous resolved look. Naomi felt her anxious. She wondered if this was how a wild animal felt when metal jaws clamped upon it's legs. The blood was pumping frantically through her heart.

"Hi." Sophia said quietly. Still hovering in the doorway.

"Hi." Naomi replied equally quiet. There was an awkward stillness in the air. So much for avoiding.

Sophia suddenly walked forward placing her arm on Naomi's desk and lent forward kissing her on the lips. Naomi was taken aback. She leaned as far into her chair as she could bracing her hands against Sophia's shoulders creating space between the two.

"What are you doing?" Naomi asked in a hushed incredulous tone. She wildly looked past Sophia to make sure no one had walked by and seen Sophia kiss her.

"I wanted to kiss you again." Sophia said wistfully leaning toward Naomi again. Naomi turned her head, locking her elbows.

"What are you doing?" Naomi repeated.

Sophia suddenly froze up, standing up straight though not distancing herself from Naomi. Her hand still on Naomi's desk.

"We kissed last night." Sophia stated as if an explanation.

"We were drunk last night." Naomi countered.

"So, if we weren't drunk, that wouldn't have happened?" Sophia asked.

Naomi opened then closed her mouth. What could she say? What should she say?

"You think that would have happened if we were sober?" Naomi offered.

Sophia let out a long sigh. "No…"

"So don't ask me that then." Naomi said.

"But you don't want to kiss me now?" Sophia asked imploring her with her eyes.

No. Naomi thought, but didn't think that would go over so well. She let the question hang in the air for a moment. "No…" Sophia looked dejected, "I don't know. Alright? We were drunk. I don't really know what to think. Or how to go about this yeah? I've never really done this before…so no, I don't know."

"You've never kissed someone before?" Sophia asked surprised.

"What? No." Naomi rolled her eyes. God the girl was slow sometimes. "You have seen me kiss Andy, obviously not my first kiss." She added less tactfully.

Sophia grimaced. "Right."

"My first snog with a girl." Naomi corrected.

"Oh." Sophia said, again surprised.

Naomi started at her for a moment. "Does really no one believe that I'm not gay?" she asked annoyed.

Sophia shrugged sheepishly causing Naomi to roll her eyes again.

"So do you like him?" Sophia asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Andy, do you like him?"

Naomi sighed, things would be a lot simpler if she did. "Not like that, no."

Sophia brightened up a bit. "Do you like me?"

"I…were friends Sophia."

"So you just want to be friends?"

"Will you stop with all these questions!"

"I'm just trying to figure you out. I never know what you're thinking."

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because I like you." Sophia said, trying to encourage the blonde. "I do."

Shit. Naomi thought. Shit, shit, shit.

"Were friends." Naomi repeated lamely, at a loss of what to say.

"Is that all it meant to you?"

"I don't know." Naomi said tiredly.

"What did it mean to you?"

She was trapped. Panda had gone down to the local farmers market with Thomas and wasn't going to be back anytime soon. Naomi hoped and dreaded for someone to walk through the door causing this conversation to stop. But such thoughts were futile. No one came. Naomi wondered if this was how a trapped animal felt before it began to gnaw its own limb off as a means of escape. And Sophia continued to just stare at her with that expectant look in her eye.

"I don't know." Naomi repeated. It seemed to be about the only sentence she could form. Though it was the truth. She had absolutely no idea what the previous night meant. She had no idea what to do with the knowledge that it happened, no idea what to do with herself, least of all what the hell she was supposed to say.

"So what do you know Naomi?" Sophia said frustrated.

"I don't know! Okay? I guess I know I'm not as adverse to kissing girls as I thought I was. I don't know. Were friends yeah?"

Naomi liked Sophia, they got on well, could have a good laugh, but she didn't get that feeling in her gut when she was around her. That flutter. She didn't like her like _that. _And that was supposed to matter, right? She didn't know. The only thing she did know for sure was that she was not capable of handling this situation.

..

..

Naomi placed her head onto the table with a dull thud. She felt like shit. She had almost made it through the weekend. In an attempt to avoid her hallway, to avoid Sophia, she had decamped to the library early Sunday. It was mid afternoon as Naomi found herself facedown on one of the tables in the back of the library. Despite her current state she found herself slowly progressing through her workload. Avoiding her hall suddenly opened up a lot of time. Part way through problem nine of her math assignment thudding her head down onto the table seemed in the best interest of figuring out the answer.

She heard a bag land on the table next to her head. "Good night?" She heard a distinct husky voice ask.

Naomi grumbled not moving her head.

Emily chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes."

"I think I'm still hungover." Naomi mumbled out turning her head to face Emily still resting it on the table.

"From your formal?" Emily asked.

Naomi nodded her head not lifting it.

"Wasn't that on Friday?" Emily laughed raising an eyebrow as she began to unpack her little red rucksack.

Naomi nodded her tired head again. Scrunching her face up. "Is it possible to die of a hangover?"

Emily rolled her eyes at Naomi with a small smile on her face. She leaned over Naomi and viewed her open notebook. "I don't know about a hangover, but death by math sounds quite plausible if you ask me."

Naomi burst out a shot of a laugh earning a look or two from the few other fellow inhabitants in the back of the library.

"C'mon," Emily said poking Naomi with the dull end of her pencil. "Back to the living you go. Help me with this crap. I haven't started problem two yet, damn books only giving you the odd answers."

Naomi begrudgingly sat up and stretched letting out a huge yawn.

"It's aliiive." Emily teased earning an eye roll from Naomi.

If this had happened a few days prior Naomi would currently be freaking out in her head that Emily not only saw her in the library but decided to join her at the large four seater table she'd claimed for herself, taking the seat next to her. But it was not a few days ago, and there were much more stressful things presently at the top of Naomi's internal freak out queue.

"Alright," she said through a second yawn, "Let's see what you've got so far, yeah?"

Emily nodded.

"Nice shirt, by the way." She added smirking at Naomi with a look. Naomi looked down to see what shirt she was wearing. It was the pig USA shirt Alex had sent her.

"Thanks," Naomi laughed, "Alex sent it to me."

Emily laughed as well, "Of course she did."

There were too many things going on in Naomi's mind currently that stressed her out. But this? This was nice.


	14. Chapter 14: Don't get so uptight

**First off, thanks for the well wishes and hugs on behalf of Mr. Max. You guys are lovely, really. It's a bit of a weird time in my life, sort of like the end of my childhood. Between the passing of Mr. Max and then becoming an aunt earlier this week (SO excited about Miss Olivia Mae) its weirdly cyclical—like Lion King circle of life stuff. I will do my best to get the next chapter up sooner.**

**Thank you to: yy4nmes, too tired to respond properly, Lovecraft, LoveTypeThing-SureTypeThing, phantomfundraiser, T, Rach, ifsomebody'sgotsoul, and StayWithMeForTheKids for reviewing, it really does mean a lot. **

**Please do let me know what you think. And as always, thanks for reading.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XIV: Don't get so uptight**

..

..

YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE A ZOMBIE TODAY

Naomi read from the piece of lined paper Emily slid in front of her. The two were sitting together again in math class.

Naomi had waited an extra few minutes before going to class, not sure if she should sit with Emily again or not. She was freaking out in her head about Sophia, but that didn't mean she still didn't over think most other things in her life as well, like sitting next to Emily for example. Knowing Emily would already be in class, she entered the lecture hall and looked for her bright red hair. When Emily saw her she nodded toward the seat next to her. Naomi dutifully joined her. Simplicity.

_Is that a compliment? Are you complimenting me?_

Naomi smirked sliding the paper back toward the redhead.

NO. JUST AN OBVERSATION.

Naomi suppressed a laugh looking up to meet Emily's mischievous eyes. Emily looked away a moment later innocently taking notes. Cheeky, Naomi thought but didn't write down. That would be more blatant than there current blatant banter.

_I didn't think so._

I HAVENT BEEN PESTERED BY THAT BIRD OF YOURS RECENTLY. SHE STILL NOT BACK YET?

_Nope. _

The sigh Naomi emitted as she slid the paper back to Emily was not lost on the girl.

YOURE SUCH AN OLD MARRIED COUPLE, I SWEAR

Naomi rolled her eyes, her frown concaving into that smirk that always seemed to appear around Emily.

_You know people actually thought we were dating?_

YOU'RE NOT?

Naomi's eyes bugged out as she read it. There was no way Emily could seriously think there was even a possibility her and Alex were dating. She lifted her gaze to find Emily failing to contain a smirk. The redhead snorted a laugh quickly clamping her hand over her mouth to quiet herself. They both snapped their heads down when the professor looked up in their direction.

_Oh you're just a fucking comedian aren't you?_

THEY SERIOUSLY THOUGHT YOU WERE DATING?

Naomi rolled her eyes incredulously at the thought.

_Yes. Twats. Bloody ridiculous. Can't a girl have a best mate?_

YOU MISS HER DON'T YOU

Naomi wasn't a fan of all the questions, but she was a fan of Emily. So she entertained them.

_No._

LIAR

_Fine. Maybe a bit._

NOT A BIT MORE THAN A BIT?

Naomi's mind instantly flashed back to her not so sober conversation with Emily in the hall after she had attended her first rugby drink up. She wasn't sure if she should be embarrassed or pleased that Emily remembered her drunken chatter.

_Haha. It a crime to miss your best mate?_

NO. I THINK IT'S CUTE. BESIDES YOU AND THE GF WILL BE REUNITED SOON. ONLY A COUPLE WEEKS LEFT TIL HOLIDAY.

Emily was right. If Naomi wasn't mentally freaking out so badly she be able to rationalize that while she hasn't been able to talk to Alex recently, in a few weeks she'd be back home having chats face to face with her annoying best mate.

..

..

"Naomi!" Sarah bellowed as Naomi walked into the room where she was meeting for the paper. "How goes it Champ? We need to go out together more often."

It was the first meeting since the formal. She joined the rest of the group at the table.

Naomi smiled. "Yeah."

Sarah laughed "Definitely need to get you that drunk again. You were fucking hilarious."

"Hah, don't know about that drunk…" Naomi laughed awkwardly trying to suppress the fear bubbling up inside of her. Countless times since she woke up hung over Saturday morning she had wondered, worried, and hoped no one had seen her and Sophia. Not that they had snogged in the middle of the dance floor or anything. She had hung out with Sarah and the rest of the freshman journalists for most of the night meaning if anyone were to have seen something, it'd have been one of them.

"How many games of 'ruit did you play?" Brandt asked lounging in the chair across from Sarah.

"Duno." Naomi shrugged. Maxxie had attended the shindig with some bloke that covered the papers arts section. Of course the two blondes played together instead of with their respective dates. She had almost felt bad for keeping Maxxie away from his date for due to their continued winning streak. Though it had also caused her to be away from Andy and Sophia for a bit of the night. She had remembered appreciating the reprieve.

"You guys killed us toward the beginning of the night," Brandt said. "How many did you lose?"

"We didn't." Naomi smirked. They stopped playing when part of the dance floor was changed into an actual dance floor and Maxxie wandered off into the shuffle on the heels of his date.

"You two must have some kind of school record at this point." Brandt said in awe.

Naomi just shrugged. She had fun with Maxxie and he didn't constantly hit on her, like some other blokes she'd played with did. Them winning was just a bonus.

The freshman continued to ramble on about different events from that night, Naomi listening along and laughing with the others. The bubbling fear starting to quell in her stomach as there was no mention of her and Sophia.

As if on queue the girl that was plaguing her thoughts (and not in the nice way) entered the room. As soon as their eyes met, Naomi cast her eyes down keeping focused on her notebook in front of her.

"Hey." Sophia said quietly to the group sitting down in the open seat next to Brandt. Naomi was suddenly thankful she had put her bag down earlier in the open seat next to her. Naomi nodded her head in welcome as the others said hi before continuing on in their recants of the formal. She could feel Sophia's gaze on her refusing to look up herself. Even as the actual meeting began and all throughout Naomi addressed Sophia only when necessary for the most part talking ideas with Sarah. She didn't know what to say to Sophia in all honesty, so she said nothing.

..

..

"Wait what?" Alex exclaimed. Too shocked to chuckle. That would come later.

"Where in fucking hell have you been?" Naomi asked in the near frantic voice she'd been containing to herself for days.

"Umm, America." Alex deadpanned.

"I thought you were supposed to get back yesterday?"

"Delays. Flight was overbooked, so the parentals took the deal, some posh hotel and first class. We didn't leave til the next day." Alex explained. "I'm never flying coach again. First class girl from now on. It's amazing the amenities...did you know there's complimentary wine? "

"Alex." Naomi stated getting the younger girls attention through the phone line. Her voice was the kind of calm that came before a storm. That made the hairs on your arm stand.

"Right, right," Alex said focusing. "Sorry. Sooo Sophia huh?"

"What do I do?" Naomi nearly begged the question. It was awkward. It was weird. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to act. She didn't know what to say. And the way Sophia had been acting wasn't make it any easier to deal with.

"Well…" Alex hesitated, calculating her response, "You agreed you weren't to tell anyone right?"

"Yes." They had. To Naomi's surprise it had been Sophia's idea that they weren't going to tell others. Not that Naomi was about to yell it from the rooftops anyway. If it were up to her everyone parties included should just forget it ever happened.

"And that it wasn't going to happen again?"

"Yes."

"And that you were going to just be friends?"

"Yes."

"And just go back to the way things were?"

"Yes."

"So…" Alex paused, "it's sorted then?"

"Yes."

"Okaaay…"

"But it's not!" Naomi fussed. "It's absolutely not the same. Its awkward as all hell. I don't know what to do or say around her. It's fucking weird mate."

"Well, what did you expect?"

"I don't know." Naomi stated. "Obviously wasn't the sort of thing I thought out beforehand now was it?"

Alex laughed for a moment speaking once she'd caught her breath. "Apparently not."

"It's not funny!" Naomi stressed.

"It is kind of." Alex said before slipping back into laughter.

"You done?"

"Yeah, yeah." Alex said, "You need to fucking relax, yeah? This whole freaking out thing isn't going to do you any good. Stop fucking over thinking it. Distract yourself, think of something else, like how much you missed your bestest mate, or I duno, Emily."

"I think I need to stop thinking about girls all together."

"Naw," Alex said, "Just the crazy ones."

"Wasn't it you that said all girls were crazy?"

"Fine, the mental ones, better?" Alex quipped.

"Is there a difference?"

Alex chuckled, "Trust me, there's a difference all right."

The two were quiet for a moment.

"Alex," Naomi sighed, "When did everything get so tits up?"

"Fitting word choice."

"Sod off."

"Okay, okay," Alex relented taking a serious tone. "I dunno mate, somewhere in between you telling the girl you semi-stalked you like her, snogging the girl that's stalking you, and said stalker finding out about your former stalking."

Naomi laughed despite herself. "It's all fucked up." She heard Alex laugh through the line. "And for the record I did not stalk. She just was always there. I just noticed. I noticed her. A lot." Naomi defended.

"Sure. Sure."

Naomi let out a breath that felt like she'd been holding in for days. In a way she had.

"I can't believe this is what happens. I leave you for two fucking weeks." Alex ranted, "You just had to wait til I was gone didn't you?

"Oh fuck off." Naomi rolled her eyes, though she was laughing despite herself.

"Watch, I'm going to leave for America for university next year, and you'll get yourself a girlfriend or something."

"Not funny." Naomi sulked.

"Too soon?" Alex joked.


	15. Chapter 15: And my head told my heart

**So I have deduced that searching for a new job while having a job takes up the time of two jobs. Leaving me less than desirable amounts of time to write. Working on it—literally. I am sorry bout the wait on this one. Thanks for sticking with this. Also, if you read my other fic Chivalry is Dead don't worry, that should be up before the weekend is over.**

**kit kat, anon, StayWithMeForTheKids, LoveTypeThing-SureTypeThing, shewritesforher, kaat12, and anon - thank you for reviewing. I really do appreciate it.**

**Please let me know what you think. And as always, thanks for reading.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XV: And my head told my heart "Let love grow," But my heart told my head "This time no."**

..

..

It was dead week, the week before final exams for the semester. Every hour was a quiet hour and it was designed to allow students time to prepare for their exams. The only problem was that everything seemed to be due that week. Instead of no homework basically every major project, essay, and presentation assigned through the semester was due. A few days in and Naomi had already picked up on Sid's appropriate phrasing "Week of Death."

Naomi was leaving the library when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket for the third time that evening.

"You've been ignoring meee," Alex whined through the line.

"Oh, I have not, you big baby," Naomi shushed. "And it's the week of death, so give me a break."

"The what now?"

"It's dead week, the week before exams," Naomi explained. "I've been doing coursework, you know, for university, which I happened to attend."

Alex huffed. "Excuses, excuses."

"What on earth would you do if I say, disappeared from the country for two weeks?"

"Skype." Alex answered automatically.

Naomi laughed. "Oh yes because I would just happen to be around a computer as often as you were to respond to messages."

"Whatever you're jus—"

Naomi put her phone down as Emily walked along the path toward the building she just exited.

"Skipping out of studying early?" Emily chastised, her usually indecipherable face displaying a small smirk.

"Or calling it for a night, not everyone procrastinates til the sun goes down." Naomi quipped.

"Is that what you think I do?" Emily raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"I didn't say you." Naomi jested raising her hands in innocence, the faint sound of Alex still chatting idly away on her mobile making itself present as she did so.

"That Alex?" Emily chuckled.

"The one and only." Naomi rolled her eyes.

"Hello Alex." Emily said leaning slightly toward Naomi's still held up mobile. Naomi laughed; she could vaguely hear Alex on the other line.

"Who is that? Are you talking to someone?"

"I said wait up, bitch," said an approaching voice from behind Emily. Naomi put her hands back down at her sides, peering over the redheads shoulder after that too common scowl reappeared on the girl's face.

"What is she doing here?" The same voice said as the obnoxious girl from Naomi's core English class appeared to Emily's side.

Naomi's gaze flitted between the reproachful looking girl and a scowling Emily. Oh. My. God.

"You know each other?" Emily asked the same time Naomi spoke.

"You're twins?" Naomi realized aloud.

"You're fucking slow?" The other girl stated mocking Naomi's surprised tone.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Katie, why don't you go bugger off to the library, since you were so keen on going now anyway."

"I only wanted to go because you said you were," Katie said. "And you're to help me with my outline remember?"

"I only said I was going to the library because I couldn't get anything done with your incessant chatter."

"Danny called, what would you have me do?"

"Not answer."

Katie scoffed. "He's my boyfriend."

"He's a wanker," Emily retorted.

"You really want to play that game?" Katie shot back. The siblings exchanged a violent look.

"Wait, and you're roommates?" Naomi interjected.

"Yes," Emily said rolling her eyes.

"Twins and roommates," Naomi processed.

"Are we just stating things?" Emily quipped, the edge gone from her voice.

"Sorry," Naomi mumbled.

"S'okay," Emily smiled.

"So roommates? Is that normal? Pairing siblings?" Naomi asked.

"No. It was requested," Emily rolled her eyes again.

"Your fault for picking the university furthest from home." Katie shot at her sister.

Naomi glanced between the two girls as they began bickering in…a different language? It sounded like gibberish.

"Fine!" Emily said eventually to a now smug Katie. "Just go get us a table, yeah?"

"Whatever," Katie said. She threw Naomi a reproachful look before walking past and into the building.

"Wow," Naomi stated as Emily rummaged through her rucksack, producing a pack of cigarettes.

"Don't even get me started." Emily puffed, taking a deep drag from the lit stick.

"Okay, I won't," Naomi shrugged.

Emily gave her a look as she nursed her cigarette. She offered it to Naomi after a few more puffs. Naomi raised her hand, declining with a polite shake of her head. Seeing Gina smoke once when she was little had put her off the habit for some reason. Emily just shrugged, inhaling again.

"Okay I better get in there, she's got about ten minutes before I've reached my Katie quota for the day." Emily let out a breath tossing the abused cigarette to the cold ground.

"Right."

"Well Naomi, enjoy your evening not studying in the library." Emily said readjusting the strap of her rucksack on her shoulder.

"Later Emily, happy studying," Naomi jested earning a playful glare from the redhead as she entered the building. Naomi lifted her phone back up to her ear walking off toward her dorm.

"Emily?" Alex chimed through the line. "Did you just say Emily?"

"Yes, that's who said hello," Naomi informed her friend.

"Well tell her I say hello back," Alex said cheerily. "Why didn't you tell me Emily's there? Put her on."

"She was." Naomi stated. "And absolutely not."

"What? Was? Before I could say a proper greeting back? Well that was rude of you."

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Oh, I am ever so sorry," she said in a monotonous tone.

"Better," Alex said lightly. "So that was her earlier?"

"Mhmm."

"She had a really nice voice," Alex stated. "How come you never told me that? Is it always like that, all raspy?"

Naomi huffed as a smile forced itself onto her face. It always did whenever she thought of Emily, or her delightfully husky voice. "Yes."

"Nice."

Naomi rolled her eyes as she entered her dorm building.

"Alex, I've got to go."

"What? Why? I haven't talked to you all day." Alex whined. "Can't you take a study break long enough for your bestest mate?"

"I'm going sledding…"

"WHAT? You don't have time to talk to me because of studying…but you have time for sledding? Rude."

Maxxie had caught her when she was in line for her second coffee of the day. He had invited her sledding, how could she say no?

..

..

"You ready to go?" Maxxie popped his head in the door of Naomi's room later that evening.

"Yeah, just give me a second." Naomi said grabbing her jacket.

She walked down the hall following him past the stairwell to outside Effy and Sophia's room. Shit. Maxxie leaned across the doorway. Pulling her hat firmly onto her head Naomi caught up to his side and she felt herself tense. Double shit. Andy, in full snow gear, was perched on Effy's desk chatting with her as a skeptical looking Sophia sat on the other side of the room.

"You sure you don't want to join?" Andy asked Effy before flashing Naomi a smile.

"Positive." Effy deadpanned in her usual sort of way.

"What about you, Sophia," Andy said turning to the other girl. "I thought you were coming?"

Naomi froze. Being over bundled in the warm dormitory having nothing to do with the sweat materializing on her palms.

"Can't," Sophia muttered. "I've got a study group."

"Ah, too bad," Maxxie shrugged. "Next time."

Naomi and the two boys walked across campus together toward their destination. She had heard from a little birdie (Effy) that Andy was to ask her out. She had been avoiding individual moments with him for the past week. Always aware of an exit, or a third party at any notice so as to put off the opportunity for him to ask her anything. He was a nice lad, and she was always awful at the whole gentle let down thing. She was an all or nothing sort of person; she had no problem telling someone to bugger off…but to politely tell someone she wasn't interested? Well, there she faltered. Caring made things difficult.

So here she was, standing by the edge of the road with the trees that drew a line between pavement and grassy knoll, sledding on a cold clear night down the hill between the science buildings and the old wooden-shingled upperclassmen flats that Maxxie and that lot lived in.

Naomi was thankful that Sophia, fortunately, had some sort of study group and could not attend. The thought of having to deal with both Andy's impeding question and Sophia's unrelenting stare was too much.

Further along the hill another group of students seemed to have had the same idea as them.

"Um," Naomi began. "So what exactly are we going to sled on?" she asked. "It's not like I've got a sled just lying about my room."

"We've gotcha covered," Maxxie winked.

"Nicked these our freshman year," Andy explained through a grin as he produced three cafeteria trays. "Dead useful they are, we've got a stockpile of them back at the flat."

Naomi laughed taking the offered tray into her hands. "That, I believe."

Maxxie laughed at the memory. "Freshman year, Sid tried to walk out the café with a whole stack of 'em! Course the café lady wasn't too keen on that. So why he got yelled at Tony nicked another stack. Walked right out the front with them."

..

Naomi was almost back up the hill after her third or fourth run when she froze. She'd recognize that laugh anywhere, not that she'd had the pleasure of hearing it nearly often enough. She looked over to witness none other than Emily and a few other girls. They were attempting to sled down the hill a few meters further along the hill, in a large plastic storage container. The two groups had edged closer together from their treks up and down the hill. Emily must have ditched Katie not long after entering the library. She smiled as the bin tipped over, Emily and all.

..

"Naomi!" Andy bellowed from the bottom of the hill, "You comin' or what?"

She forced herself to look away, she was enjoying herself sledding with Maxxie and Andy, but she couldn't stop herself from gazing up every time she heard the other group burst into a fit of laughter. One standing out from the others. Her mother always joked that she had selective hearing, but this was just ridiculous. Donning her cafeteria tray she raced back down the slope.

Naomi had successfully avoided being alone with Andy for the past week. She had given up hoping that she could like Andy, but whatever it was that was supposed to be there, just wasn't. She watched Emily and her friends disappear back toward the flats when Andy smiled at her. She looked around realizing Maxxie had already begun his trek back up the slope.

"So," Andy began his gloved hands playing with the edges of his tray. "I was wondering if you wanted to get dinner sometime?"

Naomi had the sudden realization Maxxie might have been in on this set up. She was angry with herself for not paying attention; she had been so close to evading Andy completely. Had they not just said this was their last run?

"Umm," Naomi faltered, not knowing how to say no. She felt as if she were approximating how best to kick a puppy. "Maybe." She tried. His face fell. "I'm just swamped, you know, end of the semester and all…maybe next semester?"

He brightened up, smile firmly back in place. "Yeah, oh I totally understand, yeah, next semester, that'd be ace.

Right, next semester, she could do that, put it off until then; Naomi was nothing if not an avoider.


	16. Chapter 16: Everyone knows I'm in over

**This is quite possibly the busiest I have been since graduating. In the past few weeks I have had four interviews, a huge project due a work, packed up my life, moved said life, and gone apple picking for my birthday *exhale. Enjoying a break from the madness and being the ever procrastinator that I am; here is the next chapter. **

**mzsavanna, phantomfundraiser, anon, StayWithMeForTheKids, anon, T, LoveTypeThing-SureTypeThing, and winsome wonder - thank you for reviewing. Getting a review and hearing (reading?) what you all think really makes my day.**

**Please let me know what you think. And as always, thanks for reading.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XVI: Everyone knows I'm in over my head**

..

..

Naomi let out a sigh. "In the library. Entertain me." Never in her life did she think that would be the statement she regretted most, but currently that's how things fell. It was Thursday night of exam week and she had her politics final exam that next morning. Most people were done, not having a Friday exam let alone in their concentration. Some of Tony's friends were celebrating with a big finale of a party as they put it. So mostly everyone outside her concentration that she talked to was there, getting royally fucked up as she sat in the library diligently going through her notes.

Succumbing to temptation she signed onto Facebook for a moment's procrastination, a break she told herself, and put up the status "In the library. Entertain me." Expecting a message or two or a text. Maybe even a call from Alex who had dutifully not called her all day after she had instilled a twenty-four hour no call rule in preparation for her most important exam. Instead she got a personal visit.

"Hey there."

Naomi jumped pulling herself away from her book, procrastination forgotten.

"Oh, hello Andy," she greet curiously.

"What're you up to?" he asked.

"Studying," Naomi stated tapping her notebook with her pen, "for my exam."

"Right, well I saw you were in need of some entertainment so I figured I'd come and give you some company," he smiled obviously proud of himself.

"Oh," Naomi responded, "Well I'm just organizing notes, reading, it's boring shite really."

"I don't mind," he said pulling up a chair to her table.

"Do you have an exam tomorrow as well?" Naomi asked not looking up from her book.

"Had my last one this morning."

"Oh, right," Naomi said, "well, I'm going to keep studying, you know exam tomorrow and everything."

"Okay," he said, that smile still planted firmly on his face. Naomi looked at him noticing he hadn't brought anything for himself to do: not even a book or iPod.

She could feel his eyes on her as she tried to focus on editing her notes.

"Want a sweet?" he asked a few minutes later.

"Sorry?" Naomi asked.

"Do you want one?" he asked holding out a pack of candy toward her.

"Oh, no I'm alright thanks."

After about an hour of reading and printing being interrupted by Andy every so often Naomi couldn't take it anymore. She wasn't the most patient person to begin with.

She snapped her book shut and placed her laptop into her bag.

"Alright well, I'm just going to finish putting my notebook together back in my room," she stated quickly gathering the rest of her materials. "Thanks for err…entertaining me."

He lit up, "You're very welcome, was a pleasure."

"Right well…I'm just going to head back now," she said her eyes darting to the stairs toward her exit.

"I'll walk you."

That was half an hour ago. And for the past half hour Naomi has sat at her desk organizing her notebook, checking for messages online, and tuning out Andy. She even wished a call from Alex, anything really, but Alex was being a good friend and letting her study. She was also probably off on some date with dentist girl if Naomi thought about it. That was probably why she was sticking so well to the no calling rule, had a good distraction.

The dark haired puppy of a boy was sitting on her floor going on and on about his most resent climbing adventure, or so he was the last time Naomi had said her dutiful "Oh yeah?". Andy walking her back to her dorm resulted in him following her to her room and talking her ear off as she attempted to get work done.

Just then a flash of red walked by Naomi's open door. Blue eyes met brown for the briefest of moments and she was rewarded with the quirk of an eyebrow and a smirk.

"Jesus," she sighed.

"I know, right?" Andy said continuing his story. "It was a wicked ledge, don't know how I made it up."

"What? Oh, yeah," Naomi said rolling her eyes. Andy was a nice guy, but a little slow on social ques.

Naomi looked at her computer screen and saw a message pop up.

_Emily: You look bored._

A smile slid across Naomi's face.

_Naomi: You have no idea. Save me._

_Emily: Can't you just tell him to bugger off?_

_Naomi: If it were that easy, he'd have been gone ages ago. He followed me back from the library._

_Emily: Library? Do you still have an exam?_

_Naomi: My politics tomorrow at 10 unfortunately._

_Emily: Huh. Tell him you have to help me with something, and just come here._

_Naomi: Really?_

Naomi's heart was racing. This night was about to potentially take a huge up swing.

_Emily: Yeah. Just bring your stuff in here._

_Naomi: Really? I don't want to be a bother._

_Emily: Really, Naomi. And you're not._

_Naomi: Okay. Thanks._

"Hey Andy?" Naomi said cutting him off mid word. "Sorry, Emily's just messaged me. She needs help going over the outline. I've got to go."

_Naomi: He bought it. Hero._

With that she shut her laptop and grabbed her bag ushering Andy out the door. Watching Andy wander further down her hall past the exit Naomi went to her right. She was suddenly nervous. There were only four rooms to the right of the stairs on this end of the hallway, two on each side. Naomi's room being in between the stairwell and Emily's at the end of the hall: their rooms sharing a wall.

As Naomi walked the few paces to Emily's door she suddenly realized she had never come here before, never gone beyond her own door.

"Fucking hell. What are you doing?" Naomi said to herself before knocking softly on the door.

"Open," she heard call from inside the room. And with a final breath she turned the doorknob and entered.

"Hey," Naomi greeted.

"Hi," Emily smiled.

"Err, thanks again," Naomi said. "You really are my hero."

Emily's smile grew. She nodded toward her desk chair, offering it to Naomi. The blonde sat down placing her bag on the floor at her feet.

"Yeah well in that case I guess I should save you more often. Looked as if you were being bored to death."

"I was nearly. If you hadn't walked by then I'd probably have been a goner."

"Well then good thing I walked by when I did."

"It's just," Naomi began hesitating slightly, "this is going to make me sound like a complete tit but you know how sometimes a person can talk, and you just don't care?"

Emily just looked at her waiting for her to continue.

"Well he's one of those people."

That little smirk pulled the corner of Emily's mouth again. The same one Naomi saw as she had walked by.

"You don't like him then?"

"Who Andy?" Naomi said, "No! I mean he's a nice guy and all but, he talks and I just can't listen. What can I say, I'm a tit."

"You're not a tit," Emily said, "Usually it's there or it isn't, not much you can do about it either way."

"Yeah, guess you're right," Naomi said not breaking the eye contact Emily had started. "I am a tit though."

Emily laughed, "I'll be the judge of that."

"Alright, well don't say I didn't warn you."

Naomi allowed herself to properly look around the room after she had sorted out her notebook a bit more. She took in the drastic contrast between the two sides of the room. Emily and Katie.

Behind Emily there were posters; Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Manson, a few other intense looking bands she didn't recognize, and a poem that she did. Katie's side featured shirtless blokes; Daniel Craig, Cristiano Ronaldo, and David Beckham to name a few.

"I can't believe she actually lives next door as well," Naomi stated examining Katie's décor, "I never noticed."

Emily was sat on her bed, legs crossed. Unlike Naomi's bed, Emily's was low to the ground at a usual height. The look Emily gave her over the top of her laptop did things to the pit of Naomi's stomach that had no adequate translation in the English language.

Naomi shifted her gaze from those brown eyes instead to the printed words behind her. She had recognized the William Carlos Williams poem immediately.

"Plums, eh?" Naomi quirked an eyebrow.

"They were delicious," Emily shrugged that smirk tugging on the edge of her mouth again.

There was a knock on the door. The two girls looked at each other quizzically before back at the door.

"Open," Emily stated brow furrowed.

Andy popped his head in causing Emily's brow to shoot up, "Yes? Can I help you?"

He looked unsurely at Emily before turning to Naomi, "They've just gotten Sophia back…she's well gone."

"Good for her," Naomi deadpanned, "But some of us still have exams."

Andy hesitated in the doorway, "She's been um…asking for you?"

This time Naomi's brow furrowed. What the fuck? She was also acutely aware of the two sets of eyes currently on her. So much for an up swing.

"Panda's trying to get her up to her room now," Andy added.

Giving a curious looking Emily an apologizing look she followed Andy. The little bubble of a sanctuary that had been Emily's room was abruptly popped the moment she went into the hall. It was as if leaving Emily's room had sent her down the rabbit hole.

"No," Panda said looking at Naomi, "You, our room, now."

"What?" Naomi asked confused. The usually peppy blonde was in the doorway from the stairwell. As she stepped further into view Naomi realized she had a completely pissed Sophia on her arm. The girl looked up and saw Naomi standing outside Emily's door.

"Naomi!" Sophia slurred, still being supported by Panda, "I hate you! I hate you!"

Naomi was a deer in headlights.

Panda pulled Sophia toward the girl's room, "Naomi bloomin' hell, go inside will you?"

Remembering her limbs had a function she followed Panda's instruction and went into their room. Once inside she stood as useless as she had in the hall. Now what?

The now muted noise of the hall seemed to dissipate. After minutes that presented themselves as something much larger the commotion in the hall seemed to return. Naomi opened her door to watch a girl she recognized from one of her lectures get taken into the stairwell on a stretcher.

"Your friend alright?" she heard a policewoman who had just assisted with the girl ask. Turning her attention down the hall she saw her with Sophia, Panda, and Andy.

"Yes Officer, just going to bed now," Panda said politely. Naomi walked over to Panda's side.

The policewoman eyed a swaying Sophia suspiciously.

"I am not," Sophia scoffed.

"What's going on?" Naomi asked Panda as the officer continued to talk with Sophia.

"Sophia's bein' a bloomin' idiot, that's what," Panda replied, "You should go back inside."

"Why?"

"Because you'll just send her off the loony end again."

"But I haven't done anything."

"She's not exactly been wacked in the head with logic tonight," Panda explained.

This wasn't a campus security person. This was an actual her majesty's finest policewoman.

"Sophia stop talking."

The look of venom Naomi received surprised her, "No! Fuck you Naomi!"

Naomi's fingers found the bridge of her nose.

"You need to calm down," the policewoman said.

"You need to go fuck yourself." Sophia shot back.

"Alright, you can come as well." The policewoman stated.

"Where are you taking her?" Panda asked as Sophia was led down toward the stairs.

"She's going in the ambulance with the other girl to hospital."

"I'll follow," Andy offered taking his keys out of his pocket, he hadn't been drinking.

"I don't think you should come," Panda said to Naomi. "We'll be back."

..

"Alright?" Emily asked as Naomi reentered the girl's room.

Naomi rolled her eyes, "She's a fucking twat."

Emily raised an eyebrow.

"She's completely pissed and then decided it'd be best to telling the bleedin' police to fuck herself."

Emily scoffed, "Police?"

"Apparently some other girl on the floor drank enough to make Sophia look sober. Gone to get her stomach pumped now. Police decided to bring Sophia as well, make it a pair for the ride."

"Eventful," Emily quipped.

Naomi huffed, "Right well, I figured I'd grab my stuff, before the chaos returns."

"Right," Emily nodded.

Naomi picked up her bag, "Thanks again, for saving me an all."

"Doesn't look like I really saved you from much in the end," the redhead shrugged.

"It was a much appreciated reprieve," Naomi smiled.

..

..

Attempting to get any further on her notebook was futile and Naomi knew it. So she sat. And she marveled at time; how it was impartial yet how it seemed to slow and speed at inopportune moments.

Panda entered their room alone some time later. She sat on the floor in front of Naomi.

"She wants to talk to you."

"You think that's wise?"

"She's calmed down."

"What's she been saying?"

Panda paused, "Well she got blinkin' bashed at the party, started bumbling on how 'Naomi kissed me! Naomi used me!'"

Naomi felt herself sink in her chair. She covered her face with her hands before slowly running her hands through her hair.

"Great," Naomi muttered, "Just fucking great."

"Did you?" Panda asked curiously.

"No!" Naomi stated emphatically. "I mean," she sighed, "at the formal we got drunk and we snogged. But that's all it was! Just the once."

"Bonkers," Panda said, "Well that makes sense. You two acting all bumblin' and bleedin' weird round each other. Like a surf 'n' turf gone sour."

"We didn't surf 'n' turf, Panda," Naomi stated, "just kissed."

Panda nodded that she believed her.

"It's all fucked up," Naomi breathed. "I don't like her," she added looking up to meet Panda's eyes, "Not like that."

Panda nodded taking in the new information.

"And she kissed me. Not the other way round." Naomi felt the need to defend herself. "I didn't use her."

"…then she mentioned you like Emily." Panda added delicately.

"Jesus."

"Whole way back in Andy's car, just kept repeatin' it, ramblin' on."

"Fucking hell," Naomi muttered returning her head to her hands.

"Do you?"

Naomi looked up almost pleadingly into Panda's kind eyes.

"It's alright if you do, you know," Panda continued.

"I know," Naomi hesitated. It was kind of hard to keep your cards close to your chest when someone has already ripped the cards from your hand, "I think I do, like her I mean."

"Thought so," Panda smiled.

"You what?" Naomi was surprised.

"I'm your roommate," Panda grinned, "It's my job to know these things."

Panda was far more observant that Naomi gave her credit for.

"She's the first girl I've, you know, liked," Naomi admitted.

"Is she?" Panda asked, this time being the surprised one.

"Oh but that surprises you?" Naomi states slightly exasperated.

Panda just shrugged.

"You're not going to tell people are you?" Naomi asked wearily.

"Not my business to tell," Panda shrugged, "Besides I reckon Sophia bloomin' did that enough for you already."

Naomi winced that the mental image of Sophia's proclamations at the party.

..

..

Naomi knocked before opening the door. The room was dark but she made no move for the light. She didn't want to look at Sophia nor did she want to see Sophia look at her with those expectant eyes.

"You awake?" she asked standing in the middle of the room. Effy must have stayed elsewhere.

She turned to leave when Sophia finally mumbled a yes.

"Panda said you wanted to talk?" Naomi prompted crossing her arms.

"I'm sorry," Sophia mumbled.

"For?"

"For being a prat, for tonight," Sophia said. Naomi could tell, while much improved from earlier in the night, Sophia was still drunk. This didn't bode well for a rational conversation.

"I like you," Sophia continued.

"Okay."

" But I don't like you."

"Okay..."

"We're friends."

"Yes," Naomi agreed.

Naomi attempted to follow Sophia's ramblings.

"We could be friends with benefits?"

"That's never a good idea," Naomi dismissed, "No."

"I don't like you."

"I know."

"But you like _her_," Sophia accused.

"What?"

"But you like _Emily_."

"What does Emily have to do with any of this?" Naomi asked instantly annoyed, "Emily was not at a party splashing about, yelling to everyone that I kissed her and used her."

Sophia was silent for a moment.

"Have you kissed her?"

"No, not that it's any of your business," Naomi answered. "And I didn't kiss you, you kissed me, remember?"

"We kissed each other."

"Alright," Naomi relented, "but you kissed me first," she clarified, "you initiated."

A soft "I know," came from the depths of Sophia's lofted bed.

"I know you know," Naomi affirmed.

"So it's not going to happen again?" Sophia asked.

"No, I think not," Naomi answered.

"I feel like you just used to me figure if you like girls or not," Sophia said, "And now that you know, its not me that you want."

"It's not as if I went into the night thinking 'I'm going to snog Sophia and see if I like girls," Naomi snapped, "It was simply a byproduct of a drunk snog."

"Cos that's all it was, a drunk snogging?" Sophia pushed.

"Yes," Naomi breathed.

Naomi sat down in the circle chair and stared hard out the window in the dark. She watched the ice meet its end as it met glass as she tried to figure out what to say.

"Why are you acting as if I've wronged you?" she dared.

"It's not you," Sophia sighed.

"Pretty certain it was my name you were shouting about tonight," Naomi replied.

"You're not the first girl I've, you know liked."

Naomi was silent. This was news.

"In college, I dated this girl," she paused, "Stephanie…we were engaged."

"What?" Naomi couldn't keep in her surprise. "So you've seriously dated another girl, yet you're the one that's freaking out on me because we had a drunk snog?" Naomi asked a bit incredulous, "Seems a bit backward doesn't it?"

"You freaked out too."

"Not to the whole world."

"I'm sorry," Sophia said. Naomi could hear her shuffle in her bed. "I've been taking it out on you. We kept it a secret, didn't tell anyone, not even my best friend," Sophia continued, "Our families could never know, you should hear the things my Mum says…"

There was a pause.

"Then we broke up…" Sophia said softly, "She broke up with me, right before I left for university, said she couldn't do it."

"Well, I am sorry bout that, but what's it got to do with me?" Naomi asked.

"I guess I never really fully sorted myself out after that, never properly dealt with it. Then you came along, and all those feelings sort of flooded back." Sophia explained, "I'm sorry."

"I hear what you're saying, but Sophia you've got to realize, I'm not her." Naomi said, "And I'm not going to be her. So whatever you've got left to sort out about that, doesn't involve me."

"I know, I'm sorry."

Naomi's head returned to her hands again. She was drained and possibly forming a headache. She looked at her watch, her politics exam was in five hours. So much for that upswing.


	17. Chapter 17: I gotta tighten down on the

**I am sorry for the impromptu hiatus. I'll try to not let it happen again. I promise I will get the next Chivalry is Dead chapter up soon as well. **

**On a happy note, I was offered the job I really wanted, and am starting / moving in less than 2 weeks. Also, if it applies to you, happy turkey (tofurkey) day.**

**I'm leaving for work at 2:30 this morning to open the store for black Friday (joy) so please, please leave me a review to make my day a bit more bearable. Or at the very least challenge me to words with friends ( kaybzik ) to keep me awake haha.**

**mzsavanna, Critic, yy4nmes, winsome wonder, StayWithMeForTheKids, fookyeahskins, fakevegan, lostANDdelirious-malex, R3dN0te, anon, and anon – thank you for taking the time to review.**

**Please let me know what you think. And as always, thanks for reading.**

**Without further rambling, here is the next bit.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XVII: I gotta tighten down on the lag time.**

..

..

Naomi sat in the tiny café she always went to with Alex. They sat in their usual spot by the window. Drinking their usual drinks. You know you've become a valued patron or go somewhere way too often when you're handed your order before actually ordering it. She'd been home for a week and still felt drained.

"So you going to make your move when you get back then?" Alex asked.

"What move?" Naomi asked, sipping her tea, "No, there is no move for me to make," she added firmly.

"Are we reading the same script here?" Alex asked, "Because from what I'm reading, it's definitely a goer."

Naomi opened her mouth to chastise the other blonde when the two were interrupted.

"Naomi?" Came a voice to her right. "Naomi Campbell? Back in town?"

Both girls shot their heads over to see a slight girl with light brown hair.

"Corbin?" Naomi said surprised, "Hi."

"How are you?" Corbin asked. "Thought you'd gone off to university?"

"I have," Naomi said, shooting a look to a seemingly bemused Alex. "Home for holiday."

"Oh, right!" Corbin smiled, "Well, we should hangout sometime, before you go back, catch up."

"What am I, invisible?" Alex asked, causing Corbin to finally turn to her.

"Hello Alex, how are you?" Corbin offered.

"Fair to lousy, now that you ask, thanks," Alex deadpanned. Corbin looked at her unsurely before turning back to Naomi.

"So Naomi, what do you say?" the brunette smiled, "For old times sake?"

"Yeah, um right, sure," Naomi answered.

"Well incase you don't still have my number," Corbin said as she produced a pen and bent over to write on Naomi's napkin.

With a smile Corbin waved as her order was called and left the café.

The two friends watched the girl walk by the window.

"Dude."

"What?" Naomi asked as the girl disappeared. They looked between the napkin and each other and back again.

"Dude."

"Are you discovering gaps in your vocabulary?" Naomi shot at her mate. "Or should I be worried you're stroking out or something?"

"She was totally hitting on you."

"What?" Naomi asked incredulously, "She was not. Don't be ridiculous."

"Emily's got competitionnn," Alex sang out as she snatched up the napkin to inspect it.

"She does not," Naomi rolled her eyes. She swiped for the napkin as Alex pointed to the xoxo left below the girl's digits. "Will you stop that?"

"Well true," Alex placated tossing the napkin back at Naomi. "No one really does seem to be competition for our dear math girl, I mean just ask Sophia for example."

Naomi closed her eyes pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers, "What happened to promising not to bring her up?"

"Did I?" Alex feigned innocence.

"Yes, you did."

"Huh," Alex pondered, "I don't remember doing that. Wonder how the poor lass is doing anyway, probably the longest she's gone without being able to stalk you properly."

"I'm leaving," Naomi said not amused.

"Oh stop it," Alex stated. "I was only having a laugh."

Naomi shot her a look past her hand. She was still tired. She tried to not think about Sophia, about any of it. It made her tired.

"Well I mean, besides the obvious truth to my statement…" Alex continued.

"Will you stop that?"

Alex started to laugh. Naomi huffed folding her arms in front of her chest as Alex bent over in laughter, clutching the small table for support.

Naomi folded her arms, "You done?"

Alex sighed wiping a tear from her face, "Yes, yes," she began, "You've got to admit it's a bit funny though, all these girls just pining away after you."

"Sod off."

"They all go home crying at night to there little locker shrines, praying to the Naomi gods you'll notice them."

Naomi gave Alex a reproachful look, "Where do you come up with this stuff? I think you're actually going mental."

"Not as mental as those birds are over you."

Naomi rolled her eyes as she sipper her tea.

..

..

Naomi let out a breath. Her mobile was buzzing on the nightstand. She dog-eared the page she had just opened to before reaching for her phone. Alex had left not ten minutes ago. Her brow furrowed as she read the screen. She didn't recognize the number.

_Next Tuesday at 10 sounds great. Same place? See you then xoxo_

Who the fuck?

Naomi looked through her history and found an earlier text from her phone to the mystery number. She hadn't sent the text; yet there it was staring at her from her outbox.

Naomi looked over at her dresser and "Alex's section" which was the far right top draw. When Alex had acquired the draw it hadn't been a "oh hey you're my best friend and leave your shit here all the time so have a draw" type of situation, but rather one day Alex entering Naomi's room like a pioneer on a conquest and dumping the contents of her draw onto the floor and informing Naomi it was now hers. She looked above Alex's spot and saw the napkin from the café.

With a furrowed brow Naomi got up off her bed and compared the napkin number to the mystery number. It was a match. Her and Alex were officially in a fight.

Naomi hit the send button.

"Wasn't I just there?" Alex asked in a greeting, "What could you possibly want now?" she said it in the kind of voice where you knew the person was smiling.

"Seriously Alex?"

"Haha oh, she texted you back didn't she then?" Alex laughed, "Bugger I thought it'd take you til at least tomorrow to piece it together."

"I can't believe you text her."

"Oh come on, she's your friend."

"We were friends, I haven't talked to her in ages."

Corbin had been in primary school with Naomi. She transferred schools not long after Alex had moved.

"Didn't you used to catch up?"

"Used to."

"Well now you can start again."

Naomi rolled her eyes.

"You're a twat."

"If were stating facts, it wouldn't kill you to be more social."

"I was more than enough social this past semester, great lot a good that's done me."

Alex laughed, "It'll be good for you."

"You have absolutely no way of knowing that."

"It'll be fun."

"Again," Naomi said exasperatedly.

"Eh," Alex relented, "At the very least it'll be entertaining…for me."

"I hate you."

Alex ignored her best mates comment, "What are you scared she fancies you as well or something?" she teased. "I mean at this point that's a legitimate fear, what with every girl you talk to liking you and all."

"Not true."

"Hah!" Alex laughed, "Too true."

"We're talking right now," Naomi said, making her point, "You're not attracted to me."

"You sure…" Alex quipped.

They were both silent for a beat.

"Too far." Naomi stated, her face scrunched up.

"Bleh, you're right, you're right, sorry." Alex apologized, "And I didn't mean me."

"Your general sweeping assumption, not mine." Naomi retorted.

"Bleh," Alex yucked again. "So any who…when's this coffee date of yours with Corbin?"

"It's not a date," Alex insisted, "And I don't even know if I'm going to meet up with her."

"So when is this coffee not date happening or not happening?"

"Next Tuesday," Naomi sighed, "Did I mention I hate you?"

"It was duly noted."

..

..

"Naomi darling, mind grabbing the bags out of the boot?" Gina called as she made her way up the walkway, baked goods in hand.

"Yeah, sure, course," Naomi muttered to herself as she closed the car door and walked round to the back. "Just the family house elf, don't mind me."

She heaved the bags holding gifts out of the car and followed in her mothers wake. Gina's boots had left a melted trail of footprints in the thin dusting of snow that covered everything.

The red front door swung open.

"You're late," Alex stated as Naomi ascended the steps and entered. Inside the air was warm and smelt of something delicious, as it always did at Alex's. There was the distinct sound of indistinct chatter from further within. Somehow it had become Christmas Eve again.

"I'm on time," Naomi replied as Alex shut the door and the two made their way toward the tree so Naomi could dump the bags.

"Yeah, but you're usually early," Alex explained. "And when you're early I get out of doing shit."

"Oh, well I'm so sorry I impeded on your laziness," Naomi rolled her eyes.

"Apology accepted," Alex said, "But I don't think my mother will recover from the shots of whiskey she witnessed me take earlier for quite some time."

"You're ridiculous."

"I was bored," Alex shrugged, "And you weren't here."

Naomi and Gina had been attending Alex's parents Christmas Eve party since the two became friends.

"You're going to give that woman a heart attack," Naomi laughed.

"Oh, it's nothing she hasn't seen before," Alex stated nonchalantly, "Besides, keeps her on her toes, keeps her young."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Naomi said patting her friend on the shoulder.

Some time later after sufficiently stuffing herself on too much food and skulking off for a periodic shot with Alex, Naomi found herself sitting in the living room expertly not participating in conversation.

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She rolled her eyes. Alex was just in the next room, texting her was a bit ridiculous. She pulled out her phone then stopped when she read the text. She stared.

_Happy Christmas! xo Emily_

A slow smile crept across her face as she read and reread the text. She hit the reply button then stopped herself. She began to type a response, and then deleted it. Was she supposed to respond? Was it too soon? Was she supposed to wait a certain amount of time before responding? What should she say? That was too much. Should she put an xo back? She never used xo's. But Emily had used them…was it too early to respond yet? Fuck it.

_Happy Christmas to you too! Hope your break is grand. xo Naomi_

Regret. It was definitely too soon. And she most definitely should not have put the xo on at the end. She sounded like such a twat. Naomi opened up the text Emily had sent her again. Again, that slow smile slid across her face.

"What'cha doinnn?" Alex asked sliding into the spot next to Naomi on the couch.

"Nothing," Naomi replied shutting her phone.

Alex smirked, "Who ya texting?"

"Why do you care?" Naomi asked.

"Because I'm here, and I can also see your mum from here…so I know it's neither of us," the blonde continued to smirk. "And if it were our dear Sophia I don't think you'd have that stupid smile on your face."

Naomi rolled her eyes, trying to suppress that exact smile, but every time she thought of why it was there, of Emily texting her, it crept back across her face.

"…and you yelled at me earlier –"

"I didn't yell."

"…and you yelled at me earlier for texting Corbin for you…so I think it's safe to say it's not her...which leaves…" Alex darted for Naomi's phone.

"Hah!" Alex exclaimed triumphantly as she read the message Emily had sent her. "I knew it."

"Will you give that back," Naomi said grabbing for her phone.

"Ooo a kiss and a hug," Alex waggled her eyebrows, "And you reciprocated. How romantic."

Naomi swiped the phone from Alex shoving it into her pocket and out of reach.

"Like I've been telling ya mate," Alex said handing Naomi a drink she had gotten earlier. "It's definitely a goer."


	18. Chapter 18: It all will fall,

**Okay. I'm horrible at updating in a timely manner. But the first step is admitting you have a problem, right? For the record I've finally settled into my new apartment and am getting into the swing of things at the new job so in theory updates should be more frequent from here on out. Let's go with that. Again, I am sorry for all of you that have been waiting. I'll try not to make you wait forever and a day again.**

**fookyeahskins, lemontray, Lucie, shewritesforher, Jocelyn Nguyen, catlikemouse, and anon– thank you for taking the time to review. You're champs.**

**Please do let me know what you think. And as always, thanks for reading.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XVIII: It all will fall, fall right into place**

..

..

"Climbing tomorrow," Effy stated as Naomi walked into her and Sophia's room.

"Yes," Naomi said excitedly, "We haven't been since the start of the term."

"I know," Effy said, "But now Jamie has got a key, so that will change." Jamie was the name of Effy's latest. "Every Tuesday, we're going."

"Done," Naomi smiled.

"You ready?" Sophia asked before the conversation could be prolonged. They had agreed to head to the paper meeting together. They were both acting as if it wasn't weird between them now. It was weird between them now.

"Yeah," Naomi said.

..

..

"And that's time," the professor said as he clicked off the projector. Naomi dropped her pen, stretching out her hand; a cramp had formed about thirty slides back. For not being a required class she found herself taking a lot more notes than she had anticipated. At least it only met twice a week.

"Do you reckon he doesn't know none of us are actually concentrating in Psychology?" Will asked as he swiped his notebook off the table.

"Oh, I think he's fully aware mate," Sarah chimed in following behind Will and Naomi down the aisle and out of the lecture hall. Thinking it would be an interesting class, Naomi had signed up for Psychology as one of her non-core credits. Sarah and Will, both concentrating in Engineering, had done the same. The trio had sat together since the beginning of the class furiously trying to keep up with their professor's teachings like every other student in the lecture.

"I can't believe we have a quiz every week," Will shook his head.

"I can," Naomi rolled her eyes. They were just a few weeks into the semester but it was already clear their professor was going to be nothing short of a pompous twat.

"Same," Sarah agreed, "What I can't believe is that he's giving us six minutes for ten questions."

"So much for my GPA boost," Will laughed as they entered the hallway. "Well I'm off ladies," he saluted as he turned toward the exit where the flowing mass of students currently poured out from. "A pleasure as always."

"Where you going?" Sarah asked as Naomi turned toward the stairwell.

"Um, class?" Naomi answered.

"What kind of journalist are you? Two classes in the E.S.C.?" Sarah laughed disbelievingly.

"I have calculus," Naomi mumbled, "Bloody prerequisite."

Sarah laughed, concentrating in Engineering, unlike Naomi, she had most of her classes in the Engineering & Sciences Center. "You have fun with that."

"Thanks."

Naomi began to walk to the stairs.

"Oi!"

She turned around, "Yes, can I help you?" she raised her eyebrow at Sarah playfully. She had found herself spending more time with Sarah as the semester started off. There wasn't any bullshit with her, she was fun, their friendship was easy; it was light.

"What are you doing Friday?" Sarah asked.

"Duno," Naomi shrugged, "Why?"

"Brilliant!" Sarah smiled, "You're coming out with the fantastic four."

"I'm what?" Naomi scoffed with a laugh.

"You're coming out with us, night on the town," the other blonde grinned.

"I am?" Naomi asked amused.

"You are," Sarah confirmed, "Even if I have to drag you out." She smiled.

..

Naomi sighed. She was part way through calculus and bored, taking far fewer notes than she had in psychology the period before. She looked around and suppressed a yawn in the processes when she paused. Sitting a few rows back across the lecture hall was the bright red hair of none other than Emily Fitch. She hadn't realized she was in this class. She stared disbelievingly, surely she would have noticed before now? She looked away quickly, before she could be found out staring.

Discretely she pulled out her phone and shot a quick text off to Alex. A minute later she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

_Math Girl is in your math class…weird._

Naomi rolled her eyes.

..

..

Walking back from class, Naomi felt something hit her as she passed Sophia and Effy's room. She looked down at the floor to spy a climbing chalk bag. Inside Effy was lounging at her desk with an expectant look on her face. Naomi looked between the new white mark on her jacket and Effy un-amused.

"Climbing after dinner, yeah?" It was more a statement than a question.

"Yeah," Naomi agreed, as she tried to wipe the chalk off her jacket, effectively smudging it. She let out a sigh. "What, were you waiting there ready to strike?"

Effy just shrugged.

"Mind if I come along?" Sophia asked, startling Naomi, she hadn't even realized Sophia was tucked away at her desk. "See what all the fuss is about."

Effy's surprised eyes looked from Sophia to Naomi before they resumed their usual disinterested gaze. "Sure, Emily might be coming as well, the more the merrier."

Both Sophia and Naomi's heads snap to Effy's direction at her words with two very different surprised faces.

"Wait," Sophia said, stiffening "Emily's coming?"

Naomi felt her pulse quicken.

..

"Emily might be coming climbing with us tonight!" Naomi breathed into the phone at all at once.

"Good on you," Alex replied, "I told you, you just needed to grow a pair."

"I didn't ask her, Effy did."

"Oh…well, good on Effy then. At least someone's doing some work."

Naomi rolled her eyes, "She doesn't know."

"Oh, well then luck," Alex said, "Just show her your climbing moves."

"Moves?" Naomi deadpanned, "I don't think you understand what climbing is…" She shook her head as if to focus "Oh and Sophia's invited herself…"

"HAHAHAAHA," Alex laughed, stopping to speak again only after she had regained her breath. "I swear you couldn't write this better…"

"Shut up."

"Well, lez be honest," Alex added, "If I had written this you'd have totally done the deed by now."

"Bye, Alex," Naomi grumbled into her phone.

"Moves," she heard Alex repeat as she closed her phone.

..

Naomi let out a breath she had been holding as she rounded into Effy and Sophia's room. She wouldn't admit it, but she had been somewhat avoiding Sophia. She just didn't know what to say, to be honest. As nervous as she was at the prospect of being in the same room with both Sophia and Emily, the excitement of potentially being able to spend time with Emily outside of class trumped.

Only Effy was in the room. "Am I the first one?" Naomi asked as she plopped down into the navy circle chair.

"Sort of," Effy said.

"What?"

"You're the only one," Effy stated, "So, yes you're the first, but you're also the last if you think about it."

"Why aren't the others coming?" Naomi felt herself deflate a bit, realizing she wasn't going to be seeing Emily.

"I told them when we were all meeting, then Sophia mumbled about something and pissed off somewhere, and Emily said something came up."

"What came up?" Naomi asked.

Effy lifted an eyebrow, "Something." She shrugged. "Didn't ask, not my business."

..

..

Naomi walked out of her dorm, on route to Sarah's. It was Friday and they were going out, her and the "Fab Four" or so she'd had been informed. Shoulders hunched slightly, her hands firmly rooted in their rightful place in the pockets of her jeans she watched the ground as she walked, lost in thought. She almost didn't notice the person headed for the door she had just vacated.

"Oh," Naomi said surprised. "Hey."

"Hey," Emily returned stopping in front of the blonde.

"Happy Friday," Naomi offered.

"You too," Emily said, a smile cracking on her face. Naomi sometimes impressed herself, with the dorky shit she would say.

"I heard you bailed on climbing. You should have come," Naomi said, "It was well fun."

"Didn't want to intrude," Emily explained, "Didn't want it to be weird,"

"How'd you mean?"

Emily looked at her pointedly, "You know how."

Naomi squirmed a bit, Effy must have mentioned who else was going, "Right."

Emily shrugged. "Besides I picked up an extra shift at the call center."

"The call center?"

"Yeah, I work there a couple nights a week, ring people, ask them to donate to this dump. It's a bit shit really, but they pay me so…" she shrugged.

Naomi stored the new information in the back of her mind. "Right well, you'll have to come another time then."

"Well see," was all Emily said.

There was a pause in the conversation. Naomi dug her hands deeper into her pockets, rocking on the heels of her feet. Her mind yelled at her to think of something else to say as the seconds stretched out.

"You're in my mathematics course," Naomi blurted randomly, cringing slightly as she heard the words leave her mouth. "…again."

"Am I?" Emily asked, an amused look on her face.

Naomi nodded.

"And what, you were just planning on stalking me this semester rather than sitting with me?"

"What?" Naomi panicked slightly she didn't want Emily to think she was stalking her, because she wasn't. She definitely wasn't. "No—I…I just noticed the other day…in class." Naomi could feel her cheeks flush a bit, and not from the cold.

Emily had that smirk on her face. "That's cos I just switched in. I picked up an extra course," she explained, "so I had to swap my schedule round a bit."

"Oh, right," Naomi said, "cool."

A song Naomi didn't know began to play and Emily pulled her phone from her pocket. She looked down at the screen then back up at Naomi, almost regretfully. "I've got to take this," the redhead said, "But I'll see you in class, yeah?" She raised a questioning eyebrow at Naomi.

"Yeah," Naomi replied a smirk slowly edging its way across her face as Emily gave her one last look before disappearing into the building.

..

"What are you doing?" Naomi asked as she walked into Sarah and Katrina's room. Sarah and Brandt were midway through pulling Sarah's mattress off of her lofted bedframe. They dropped it onto the floor with a thud.

"Readying the fort," Sarah explained.

"Battening down the hatches," Brandt chipped in, plopping down next to Sarah on the mattress.

"Making their future drunk selves love them, that's what," Katrina explained.

"What?"

"Climbing up there after coming back drunk is a right pain in the arse," Sarah explained. "Coming home to your bed on the floor is actually the greatest thing ever."

"Right," Naomi said, unconvinced.

"Just crash here tonight, you'll see," Sarah laughed opening up the small fridge and tossing Naomi a beer.

"It's early, have you even had supper yet?" Naomi asked looking at the beer in her hand. "And my dorm is right next door."

"It's late somewhere," Sarah winked cracking open her own beer. "

"We're having supper now," Sean interrupted as he entered the room took a chug from Brandt's beer. "We're eating beer."

"And trust me," Sarah continued, "You come back here and see this on the floor," she said patting her mattress that she was currently sat on, "That dorm of yours will seem impossibly far." She laughed, cheers-ing Naomi with the nod of her head before she took a drink from her own can.

Naomi cracked hers open with a shrug, "Why the fuck not."


	19. Chapter 19: Love is how it's lost,

**Can lightning strike twice? Debatable. Can I update twice within a reasonable amount of time? I would have gone with the whole lightning striking twice thing happening first. Honestly, I'm just as surprised as you are. Let's go with this is an I'm sorry for the impromptu hiatuses. Also, don't get used to this haha. **

**I haven't forgotten Chivalry is Dead, I'll try to have that updated sometime within the week.**

**Thanks for the alerts, favorites, etc. It always surprises me for some reason that people keep sticking with this and my haphazard updating.**

**Reviewers: fookyeahskins, sxe fiend, S, LoveNAOMILY, lemontray, DaraSmiles, and skinsfan15– thank you for taking the time to review. It always makes my day when that little 'ding' goes and it's a note from one of you guys (lets be honest, gals). Truly is some motivation that is.**

**(skinsfan15 – I agree, it would be really cool to have a chapter from Emily's perspective, but as Naomi doesn't get that luxury, sadly neither do we haha sorry. We only know what Naomi knows, or doesn't.)**

**Please do let me know what you think. And as always, thanks for reading.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XIX: Love is how it's lost, not how it's found**

..

..

Naomi's head hurt. She was also pretty sure she was still drunk. How you could be still drunk and hungover at the same time she didn't know. But there she was. After a forced breakfast of greasy cafeteria food with the fab four she had stumbled back to her room with the sole intent of crawling into bed and never leaving it again.

"Panda said you didn't come back to the dorm last night?" Greeted Naomi as she entered her own room. Panda and Sophia were sat in the late morning light. Naomi was surprised Panda was even in the dorm to know that she hadn't come back. She had been on the floor below in Thomas's room more nights than her own recently. "She said she saw you with Emily?"

"What?" Naomi asked confused, her mind still foggy and the current obstacle of Sophia between her and her bed made her grouchy. "What are you keeping tabs on me?" She realized Panda must have seen her talking with Emily on her way to Sarah's. "I went out with Sarah and them last night. Ended up just crashing at hers."

Sophia looked a mix of relieved and hurt, probably because she wasn't actually with Emily last night and because Naomi went out with Sarah and them without inviting Sophia along.

"Our dorm is right next door," Sophia stated. "You couldn't make it back?"

Naomi shrugged. Abandoning the easy trail to her bed Sophia was inadvertently blocking by sitting in her chair and with a jump and the leftover strength of a drunk person hoisted herself up into her bed. She felt too hungover to properly deal with answering.

Naomi put in her headphones and let the previous night flash through her mind as she chased sleep.

..

_Naomi was drunk. In the earlier half of the night she had found herself in a dodgy flat about a fifteen minute walk from campus. It smelt of stale beer and too many people, as any good party did. She was sure if it weren't for the extremely loud music you could hear as much as you could feel your trainers sticking to the floor with every step. Even when they had run into Will and per usual greeting he picked her up and spun her around she was convinced he had had to pull a little bit harder than normal to disengage her trainers from the steadfast floor. She was also fairly certain she hadn't been this pissed since the semi formal. So many she was just that drunk. Though there was one main and glorious difference between that night and this, there was no Sophia lurking about for her to deal with. No drunk Sophia to placate. No pending, un-resolving, drunk talk to worry about looming over her head for when they got back from the party. She felt carefree, and it was lovely._

..

..

"Hey, you ready to go?" Sophia asked stalling in Naomi's doorway. It wasn't until late afternoon Naomi had successfully dragged herself out of bed. Evening now set in and she was sat at her desk, computer on her lap, television on repeats, with no intentions of moving.

"Go where?" Naomi asked with a quirk of an eyebrow. She was fairly certain she had died at some point last night / this morning, and she had slowly regenerated through out the day. Events from the previous night flashing back throughout the day like someone's life before they died. She had no intentions of going anywhere tonight. If she were a phoenix she would still be ashy and smoldering just emerged from the embers. She looked up from her laptop.

"Out," Sophia said as if it were obvious, "Sarah and them are meeting us here soon."

Naomi let out a booming laugh, "Not bloody likely."

"Yeah, I chatted with Sarah earlier."

"Good on you mate, I'm not going anywhere."

"You went out last night," Sophia reproached.

"Yeah," Naomi scoffed, "And I'm still recovering." She laughed. "I've felt like death all day. If I were to go have another go tonight I think I'd actually die."

Sophia pouted, "Oh come on, it'll be fun."

"I've no doubt," Naomi agreed, "If it's anything like last night you're in for a treat."

Sophia opened her mouth to protest further when Naomi heard the distinct sound of their friends barreling up the stairwell.

"Ay!" Brandt said as he popped into Naomi's room followed by Sarah, Katrina, and Sean. "There she is, ready for round two Champ?" He had a certain bounce to his step that reminded her of her old group mate Cook.

Naomi laughed shaking her head, "Still recovering from round one I'm afraid."

Sarah nodded her head appreciatively. "Last night will be hard to top."

"You gotta work on your endurance mate," Sean said.

"And who am I supposed to row home with?" Sarah asked seriously. "I need my fellow oarsman to man this boat."

Naomi laughed. Last night on their way home her and Sarah had ran down the streets side by side moving their arms as if they were rowing a boat. The entire way home they had done. And as predicted, that mattress on the floor had actually been the best thing in the world.

"Sorry mate," Naomi said, "Looks like you're going to have to sail solo this time."

"Fine," Sarah conceded with a rue smile, "but next time," she said pointing at the seated blonde, "I'm not taking no for an answer."

"I have no doubt," Naomi laughed.

Eventually Sophia had finally left with the fab four or as Naomi considered the more apply titled 'the fucking crazy yet fun four'. Though she admitted it didn't have quite the same ring to it. She had settled on some Doctor Who repeats as she couldn't focus enough to read, besides she had just finally evaded the worst of her headache. Last she needed was to bring it back.

..

She enjoyed the quiet of having her room to herself without the worry of Sophia coming by to chat. The floor was still, no one was even in the stairwell to have a "private" conversation that would echo through the stairwell and into every neighboring room, like Naomi and Panda's. Panda was at Thomas and JJ's again, she assumed.

Naomi heard her computer ding, indicating she had a message. She furrowed her brow. Alex and Dentist Girl had gone into London to see Wicked. It was an anniversary, or late Christmas gift, or a birthday present, or something of the sort. Naomi couldn't remember. But if she was in London with said girl there was no way it was Alex messaging her. Unless she had severely bogged something up…which was always a possibility. She shook her head at her friend as she climbed down from her bed where she had been halfheartedly watching repeats.

She stared at the screen. She did a double take thinking her hungover mind was playing tricks on her.

_Emily: Hey. You awake?_

The blonde's heart rate increased.

_Naomi: Hey, yeah. What are you up to?_

_Emily: You're not doing something are you? I'm not bothering you am I?_

_Naomi: Not at all_

_Emily: No party tonight?_

_Naomi: Nope, but if I were still a bit pissed from last night's, some things would be making more sense._

_Emily: Is that so?_

_Naomi: Yes ma'am. Still recovering I'm afraid. What about you?_

_Emily: Already did._

_Naomi: Back so soon?_

_Emily: Wasn't feeling it._

_Naomi: Ah, nothing worse than being around a bunch of drunk wankers._

_Emily: Hah, you know its even worse when you're one of them. And you still can't stand being there._

_Naomi: That is impressive._

_Emily: Yup._

Naomi stared at her screen, willing some sort of wit or even the bare minimum of a conversational line to come to mind. Nothing did, and Emily did say anything either, so she just stared at the screen. Eventually she turned her focus back onto the television.

There was another ding.

_Emily: Can I be honest with you?_

Naomi's heart jumped. Emily had a way of turning simple phrases into statements and question that would make Naomi's palms sweaty, if she were that type of person. She wasn't thankfully.

_Naomi: Course_

_Emily: I can't stop crying_

Naomi didn't know what she was expecting Emily to say, but it wasn't that.

_Naomi: What? Are you alright?_

Stupid question she thought. Obviously she's not all right if she can't stop crying you twat.

_Emily: Yeah. No. I duno. I just…I have the lights off and I just can't stop crying and Katie's wanker of a boyfriend is visiting and I think they're fucking snogging. I just don't want to be here. I duno._

She stared at the screen for a beat.

_Naomi: So come here._

She hit enter before she could even process her response.

_Emily: What?_

_Naomi: So come here. I'm just being boring and watching repeats in here._

_Emily: I don't want to be a bother._

_Naomi: You're not._

_Emily: What about Panda? It's late._

_Naomi: Panda's not here._

_Emily: But I'd feel bad if she came back wanting to sleep and I'm crying in her room. _

Naomi laughed.

_Naomi: Hah, don't worry about that, she's not coming back tonight._

_Emily: How do you know that? Did she go home for the weekend?_

_Naomi: No, but she'll be sleeping at Thomas' tonight._

_Emily: Oh_

_Naomi: Yeah, so just come here._

_Emily: Are you sure?_

_Naomi: Yes, Emily. I'm sure._

_Emily: Okay._

Naomi felt that thing in the pit of her stomach reforming, as if all the atoms in her body were buzzing as they whispered to one another, spreading the news; Emily was coming over. She did her best to dismiss it. Emily signed off. Naomi halfway panicked. She never knew what to do when a girl was crying. In fact she usually made a point to avoid them; crying girls, talking to crying girls, attempting to comfort crying girls. She suddenly felt beyond her realm. Emily seemed to do that. What the hell was she doing? But just the thought of Emily crying to herself in the dark pulled at what she supposed was her heart.

There was a knock on the door.

"Open," Naomi stated closing her computer as she did so.

"Hi," Emily said sheepishly. Emily was blunt, Emily was confident, Emily didn't fuck about. These were the few things Naomi knew about the intriguing redhead. She never expected to see Emily sheepish, but over looking the obvious tears and sadness, it was adorable. Not that Naomi would admit that.

"Hi," Naomi replied through a small lopsided smile. She looked around the room quickly, realizing she didn't have a proper seat for Emily and grabbed Panda's orange fuzzy chair, pulling it next to her by her desk. The two smiled at each other and Emily took the offered seat.

Emily wiped the tears from eyes. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"Anytime," Naomi smiled genuinely.

"I'm sorry," Emily said through a shaky breath, wiping her eyes. "I'm not one of these drunk crying girls I swear. I'm not a crier ever, really. And when I am it's definitely not in front of anyone." She looked at Naomi earnestly and sighed, "I just really didn't want to be in there."

"Well, then I guess it works out I'm a boring night in," Naomi smiled.

Emily gave a broken laugh wiping her face again. "I guess so."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really, no." She wiped at her eyes again.

"Okay," Naomi said simply cause Emily to look at her curiously. This wasn't journalism, if Emily wanted to tell her, she would.

They were quite for a moment and Emily put her head in her hands. Naomi knew that position. When you were still drunk and didn't want to be any longer. Hoping if you just closed your eyes for a moment and let the world settle, you'd open them again to find the world only spinning on it's usual axis. She reached a hand out and withdrew as quickly.

"Have you had any water?" Naomi asked suddenly.

"No," Emily replied.

"You should."

"I'm fine," Emily stated.

"Good," Naomi stated. "I'm glad. But you'll have some water anyway. Then you'll be better than fine."

"I don't like water," Emily said looking up from her hands.

"You are water," Naomi deadpanned.

"What?" Emily replied confused. Yep, definitely not yet sober.

"Nothing," Naomi shook her head, "I'm getting you a glass of water and you're drinking it."

Emily just looked at her as the blonde stood and made her way over to the mini fridge and pulled out Panda's pink water filter. She looked around until she found an empty cup. She inspected it, sniffed it, and shrugged; seemed clean. She wiped the inside with the hem of her shirt to be safe.

"Seriously Naomi," Emily said. " Stop. I'm fine, you don't need to go through any trouble an make a fuss."

"No trouble," Naomi smiled handing the mug of water to the petite redhead. "And I'll fuss regardless."

Emily gave her a protesting look before taking the offered cup. She looked down at it in her hands in her lap.

"You going to drink it or just stare at it?" Naomi prodded jovially. She didn't know what to do around crying, upset girls; emotions in general to be more specific. She figured she could handle trying to distract her if she didn't want to talk about it. Try to make her laugh, settle for a begrudging smile when she said something dorky rather than witty, that she reckoned she could do.

"Haven't decided yet," Emily said before shifting her gaze, mischievous slightly drunk puffy eyes meeting concerned amused blue.

Naomi laughed. It seemed Emily was almost as bad as her when it came to letting someone else take care of her.

"Does Panda usually not sleep here? I mean, do you have the room to yourself a lot?" Emily asked after her first unenthusiastic sip of water and looking around between the two distinct halves of the room.

"I think it would be a more accurate statement to say that Thomas and JJ have a third roommate than to say I had a roommate most of the time." Naomi chuckled.

"That must be nice," Emily said quickly wiping away another stubborn tear, "to have the room to yourself."

Naomi shrugged. "Yeah, especially with being somewhat nocturnal," she laughed.

"You an insomniac too?" Emily asked curiously.

"No, just really, really not a morning person." Naomi explained.

"Oh," she took another sip of water.

That sat in silence for a bit.

"Wish I had the room to myself," Emily sighed breaking the silence. Her hands only stopping their fidgeting with the mug to periodically wipe away a tear. "She's such a fucking cow."

Naomi sat silent, listening.

"She doesn't even tell me that dick splash of a boy is coming up to visit and then is upset with me when I come back to my room and want to sleep. The loo is right down the hall if she's that desperate for a shag." She let out an angry sigh and wiped away another tear. "I don't say anything when her when he comes to visit for the millionth time. But I even mention the thought of Mandy coming for a visit and I'm the selfish bitch. It's bloody ridiculous."

Right. Mandy. Naomi forgot about her. Or more likely did everything in her subconscious power to forget about her.

"That's not fair," Naomi added, lamely.

"I know!" Emily said wiping her eyes with the palm of her hand. "And then there is the other one. She's being just as much of a fucking pain in my arse. Who are you with? Why do I have to visit you, why can't you just come home? Who are you talking to? Like every person I talk to or become friends with I'm going to fucking fuck." She paused, her eyes meeting Naomi's for a moment before they both looked away. Emily took a large gulp of her water before continuing. "This isn't big fucking brother. It's bad enough living with big fucking sister. Don't need it coming for her too."

Naomi just continued to sit quiet and allow the other girl to let it out.

Emily sighed the type of sigh that involves one's whole body. "I just can't fuck escape, ya know?" she stated shifting her eyes to Naomi's.

Naomi gave her a half smile and bumped shoulders with the petite girl.

Emily gave her one of those looks of hers, followed by a weak smile. Naomi took it.

Emily let out an exasperated noise before rubbing her drying eyes. "I'm sorry I've been spilling my guts to you. I've probably ruined your night."

"Anytime," Naomi said, "And you haven't."

"I can go if you like?" Emily stated placing her partially drunk mug on Naomi's desk.

"You don't have to."

"Okay," Emily said siting back into her chair, "I didn't really want to, to be honest."

Naomi smiled and they were quiet again, though not uncomfortably so. It felt like Emily was trying to give her as well as herself every possible out, though neither of them were opting for it.

" So Doctor Who?" Emily asked as she looked up at Naomi's tiny television, eventually breaking the silence.

"Yeah, Doctor Who?" Naomi said, "I love it. Problem?"

Emily smirked.

"What?" Naomi asked.

"Nothing," Emily mused.

"What?" Naomi repeated.

"Nothing," Emily smirked, "Just didn't picture you a Doctor fan."

"Oh?"

"You're just full of surprises Naomi, aren't you." She said with a look Naomi couldn't describe.

"Am I?" Naomi quirked an eyebrow.

"You are."

"That a good or bad thing?"

Emily looked at her appraisingly for a moment. "Good."

"Good."

They were quiet again.

..

"Nope, not until you finish that cup."

"Jesus Naomi this is my third one." Emily moaned. "What are you trying to drown me?"

Naomi gave her an expectant look. "Maybe."

Emily rolled her eyes before dramatically downing the remaining contents of the mug. The two girls had flowed between pretending to watch the television, talking about anything and everything, to sitting contently in silence, all the while Emily slowly sobering up and Naomi somewhat force feeding her water.

"You sure you're an only child?" Emily asked.

"Positive," Naomi said as she watched Emily play with the now empty mug with her hands. "Why?"

"Cos you're quite good at that."

"At what?"

"At getting people to do things," she said tipping the empty cup upside down in emphasis. "It's like what I'd do to get my little brother to do something when he was little."

"Are you equating your drunk self to a small child?" Naomi teased.

"Oi!" Emily rolled her eyes but conceded a smile in the process. "Well, answer the question, why are you so good at it?" She pressed.

"Duno really," Naomi shrugged, "Definitely an only child. But I swear there were times I thought my mother was running a free hostel. She called it 'communal living'" Naomi said emphasized with air quotes and sarcastic tone. "Swear there were fifteen people living in my house at one point, and none of them paying rent." she shook her head before continuing. "Some of them thought they were the messiah," she rolled her eyes, "some didn't believe in clothing," she shuttered, "and some had spawned offspring before showing up on the doorstep. Guess I eventually learned how to keep them out of my room is all."

Emily gaped at Naomi, "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Full of surprises," Emily mused again.

"You keep saying that."

"You keep surprising me."

After a few moments Emily laughed.

"What?" Naomi asked.

"My mother would have a hear attack at just hearing the words 'communal living'"

"Yeah my mothers an odd one, free spirit and all that."

"Sounds nice," Emily said.

"Bit of a cliché."

"A nice cliché," Emily countered before letting out a yawn. "Okay," she sighed," I think I'm going to attempt to sleep. And besides, they should be well passed out by now."

Naomi didn't want to think of that imagery.

"Okay," Naomi said.

"Thanks for err, you know, letting me ruin your night, taking care of me and everything." Emily said slightly awkwardly as walked to the doorway.

Naomi found herself standing as well. "You can ruin my night anytime."

Emily laughed before a serious look settled onto her face, "Seriously though, thank you."

"Anytime," Naomi returned sincerely.

After a small smile Emily turned to leave before turning round again. She took as step forward pausing again. Emily looks at her differently. They were about a step apart. Naomi felt her heart rate increase as she was acutely aware of the distance between herself and the redhead who currently looked as if she were debating something. She wondered if Emily was going to hug her. When just as they seemed like two magnets drawing closer, Emily reversed polarity and backed toward the door again.

"Night, Naomi." She said as she backed out of the door. And then she was gone.

Naomi felt that thing that she didn't quite understand in the pit of her stomach compound itself.

"Night." She returned to the now vacant doorway as she heard what could only be Emily's door close.


	20. Chapter 20: I struggle for the words and

**I had every intention of posting this before leaving for my cousins wedding. And it just did not happen. Apologies. If you read Chivalry is Dead you know it's been a long month for me. Just know even if I don't update as often as either of us would like, I'm always scribbling down ideas and bits of my stories, its always on my mind even when it should absolutely not be (like right now for instance, as I am jotting this down at work).**

**Reviewers: fookyeahskins, R3dN0te, lemontray, Lovecraft, LoveNAOMILY, phantomfundraiser, Deyanira-chan, cumbia86, .lif, and skinsfan15 – I really can't stress enough how much it means when you all take the time to review. Appreciate it to bits. Thank you. I feel like this is my 'little story that could' and just keeps slowly chugging along – still get pleasantly surprised when it gets a review.**

**Please do let me know what you think. And as always, thanks for reading.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XX: I struggle for the words and then give up**

..

..

"Oh hey, remember that time you were a pansy and didn't kiss the girl?"

Naomi rolled her eyes, "Alex, I already told you – "

"Next time kiss her! Just kiss the girl dammit. God you're useless."

"She was drunk and she has a girlfriend. And we didn't even hug. Remember? And I was just being nice."

"God, nice. Naomi Campbell – the nice guy – is going on your grave. Right next to – the girl who never got any cos she was too fucking nice."

"Oi!"

"Well, someone has to say it." Alex defended. "Can you PLEASE be like your name sake just for once. SHE at least goes after what she wants."

"For the last time that cunting model Naomi Campbell is not my name sake."

"Oh…but don't do that whole phone throwing thing she does…though it would be amusing to see you actually get that mad." Alex continued on ignoring Naomi's protests. "But yeah don't do that…because then we wouldn't be able to talk…and you'd never get to hear all my sage advice…and I'd be bored."

"I'm hanging up, oh wise one."

"Fine. But I'm calling back later to tell you all about my night out in London – thanks for asking by the way – oh best friend who is too obsessed with a certain redheaded girl to ask about my night o – "

Naomi hung up.

"So what did you do last night?" Panda asked from her desk. She had come in part way through Naomi's phone conversation with Alex. Both girls sat in front of their respective desks on their respective sides of the room ignoring their respective coursework.

"Not much," Naomi shrugged. "Watched some repeats."

"By yourself?" Panda asked. Naomi's brow furrowed until she followed the bouncy girls eye line, spying the two mugs on her desk.

"Emily came by for a bit," Naomi shrugged.

"You hungout with Emily last night?" Panda asked curiously.

Naomi nodded.

"And…" Panda prompted.

"…and what?" Naomi asked, why did people keep asking her that? "And nothing, we just hung out for a bit."

"Bonkers," Panda grinned, "Well, I'll be sure to bugger off to Thommo's again tonight incase you want to hangout again."

"Oi!" Naomi said, "Like that's the reason you're going there again tonight."

Panda just beamed. That was the beauty of Panda; she'd acknowledge something and then let it go just as tactfully. Say what you would about her dancing, Panda had her social graces.

"You missed out last night," Sophia said walking into the room.

"Oh, I don't think she'll be too gutted about it," Panda smirked. Naomi glared at the grinning fool that was her roommate. She took back her thoughts on Panda's social graces.

"Oh," Sophia said as she noticed Panda, looking over to that side of the room. Panda did live more in Thomas and JJ's room than her own these days. "Hi Panda. And wait what? Why not?" she asked turning back to Naomi. "What'd you do last night? You said you weren't going out."

"I didn't," Naomi said honestly. "I just hung out in my room." It wasn't a lie.

The brunette accepted her answer, "Want to get breakfast?" she asked.

"Sure," Naomi shrugged. She couldn't think of a reason why not. Besides, they were acting normal. An act of fiend normalcy. Its what they used to do, so if they do it still, surely it will still be as it was before, right? Normal. "Panda, you coming?" Naomi added as she closed her laptop.

"Course," Panda bounced from her chair. Naomi didn't ask her because she was looking to not spend time alone with Sophia, she asked because that's what they did; freshman ate together, the floor foster family with family meals. Freshman moved in packs. The lone wolf dies while the pack survives and all that jazz.

Naomi watched the heat swirl off of her coffee, encouraging it to reach a more friendly temperature as she blew on it. It always amazed her, the difference between one hour of sleep verses one cup of coffee. The coffee never tasted as fine nor went as far. If the first thing freshman learned to do was travel in packs, the second was to regret all the naps they fought as children.

Naomi had slept like shit last night, wide as wide awake can be after Emily had gone. She just laid in her bed starting at the shadows her popcorn ceiling threw around in the dark. Her mind had been on overdrive, more than making up for her body's lack of movement. She currently cursed her childhood self and all the naps she had squandered.

After one extra breath of cooling air, like that extra candle on a cake for luck, she took a sip. She drank her coffee black. That was important. In her mind if you liked coffee, drink coffee – anything else was just an imitation – flavoured milk.

"What is that?" Naomi asked, Sophia's murky cuppa earning a disdainful look.

"Tea," Sophia said, giving the stupid question a stupid answer.

"Tea, and?"

"Milk and three sugars,"

Naomi scrunched her face.

"I don't understand why people just don't drink the damn stuff straight,"

"Because otherwise it would taste this shite."

Naomi guffawed.

"Mum says I can't have caffeine," Panda offered to the discussion.

"Can't imagine why Panda," Naomi smirked. Naomi was a fidgeter, always playing something between her fingers or biting her lip – Panda on the other hand was a mover. She wouldn't doubt the girl even bounced in her sleep, Tigger reincarnated.

"Can't even have NiteQuil," Panda began.

"Um Panda, you know there is no caffeine in that right? Does the opposite really."

"Has the same effect on me," Panda shrugged.

"That stuff knocks me out," Naomi said.

"Really?" Panda asked curiously, "So it really does work for some people? It makes me flippin' hyper."

"Panda," Naomi smiled, "I don't think I ever want to witness what you consider hyper."

Naomi tried to imagine Panda hyper…if her usual state was considered the median. She imagined Panda would be like the super hyper squirrel in Over the Hedge, given caffeine the squirrel was so hyped up, moved so fast, the rest of the world was slow motion. She thought that was probably an accurate assumption.

Panda smiled a milky smile through a mouthful of cereal. Yeah, Naomi thought, that seemed about right.

...

..

Head down and blurry eyes half open Naomi walked along with the flow of students, like cars sticking to their proper sides of the road, all headed toward their first class of Monday morning. Whoever invented Monday mornings was an arsehole.

"Music!" Will stated pointing his fingers at her as Naomi crossed his path. She stepped back as he stepped forward, moving to the side, alleviating their temporary traffic jam.

"Yes?" Naomi laughed with an eyebrow.

"We're long overdue for a music swap."

"That we are," she smiled, you couldn't not smile at a puppy. Even on a Monday morning, it was a fact. "What'd you have in mind?" There was a flash of red and Emily walked past, Naomi shot her a side smile, blue eyes following her trail.

"Music, movie, beer? Thursday? It'll be grand."

"Works for me," Naomi shrugged looking at the boy in front of her briefly before focusing back in time to catch Emily return the pleasantry.

"Brilliant," he beamed as brown eyes flickered from the blonde over to the lad she was talking to and back again, "Well better be off," he gave her a little salute and with a twirl merged back into the trudge of students. Naomi laughed. She didn't mind the prospect of getting off of the floor and away from Sophia for an evening. The good music and beer didn't hurt either.

..

..

Naomi sat down next to Emily on the cold cement step. Fifteen minutes into mathematics, last class of the day, and their Professor was a no show. After a bit of grumbling Emily stood up and asked if Naomi had wanted to join her for some fresh air. Fresh air was apparently a cigarette. Currently the redhead pulled a pack out of her pocket. She held it out toward Naomi. The blonde scrunched her face shaking her head in decline.

"Don't smoke," Naomi said simply as she watched Emily take one between her lips and tuck the pack back into her pocket.

"Shit," Emily mumbled, cigarette hanging from her mouth, "I've forgotten my lighter." She rifled through her pockets, patting herself down as a passerby would to show a beggar they had no change.

Naomi reached into her pocket and pulled out a lighter, holding it out in front of the redhead. She flicked it on, the wind promptly doing its job to put it out. Suave. Naomi tried again, this time Emily bringing her hand over Naomi's to create a shield. Naomi felt her heart rate increase as she was aware of every millimeter of contact her and Emily's hands had. Emily looked up holding the blondes gaze a moment before sliding her hand away, leaning back with the glowing tip of a victorious cigarette.

Emily took a grateful drag. The smoke slowly trailing away toward the muted sky; the kind of sky that whispered the promise of snow. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you Naomi?" Emily mused as Naomi flitted the lighter between her idle fingers.

"So you keep saying?" Naomi furrowed her brow, continuing the mindless choreography between lighter and hand, "But I don't see how."

"You don't smoke. Yet have a lighter on you?"

"Usually do."

Emily threw an eyebrow at her. "Like I said, full of surprises."

"Just like fire is all," Naomi shrugged, "And as you've found, usually comes in hand."

Emily shook her head slightly, giving her the kind of look that started little fires in the pit of Naomi's stomach.

"You're an interesting one Naomi Campbell, you really are."

An older man with enough facial hair to make up for where it lacked on the top of his head gave the two girls a curt nod as he walked passed them up the stairs. Emily took a last pull before flicking the but to the ground. They both stood, Emily grinding the life out of her cigarette with her black converse. Apparently, class was still on, and they were now late.

..

..

"It's weird without Andy here," Effy said from her spot next to Naomi. They were currently laying sprawled out on the mats in "the cave" of the climbing wall. It had become sort of a stupid tradition. At some point each time they were there one followed by the other would start from around the mouth of the cave, take the bend at a run and leap foolishly onto the awaiting mats. It was all the stupider when other people were actually inside already. But usually no one was, as was the case today. Now they laid out on the musty, dusty mattresses in usual fashion, chatting about anything and nothing.

"What? Yeah." Naomi replied, inspecting the large red handhold on the low ceiling overhead with sudden interest. "Still, I can't believe his parents didn't let him back."

"His grades were shit."

Truth be told Naomi was secretly glad he wasn't back, as awful as that was. The lad was super nice. He was a super senior, and apparently his grades were also super, unfortunately for him it was the super awful kind. But as nice of a lad as he was, Naomi felt a bit like she'd cheated some awful fate, no longer being held to that promised impending date.

..

Naomi had showered and changed into her most comfortable sweats upon returning from the climbing wall with Effy. A pair of grey sweatpants, rolled twice around the hips and a worn yellow hoodie where she wore the cuffs like fingerless gloves; her thumbs having slowly eroded the hem like the rivers did canyons. While she wasn't usually a night shower person, her hair if at all wet seemed to have ragers in her sleep, standing up in every direction but presentable the next morning, she couldn't get the feeling of the dust off from climbing so she had eventually given in. She plopped down into her desk chair deciding on some email checking and paper browsing to end her night.

The universal sound indicating she had a message dinged. She looked up from the open page on her desk, ears perked like Pavlov's dog.

_Emily: Can I ask you something?_

Naomi stared at the screen, her heart rate increasing. Why did that question always make her nervous?

_Naomi: shoot._

_Emily: why do you like me? I mean, _

_what made you like me?_

Yep, that is why that question made her nervous, because it was always followed up with something like that.

Naomi clicked a name on her sidebar.

_**Naomi: HELP**_

_**Emily asked me this "Emily: why do you like me? I mean what made you like me?"**_

_**Alex: HAHA ooooo. What'd you say?**_

_**Naomi: Haven't yet. HELP!**_

_**Alex: Her fit bod and bangin hair?**_

_**Naomi: ….not helpful.**_

_**Alex: but accurate.**_

_**Naomi: shut up.**_

_**Alex: Okay, okay. Umm I duno mate.**_

_Emily: You don't have to answer. I was _

_just curious._

_Naomi: No, no it's fine, I'm just not sure _

_how to word it._

_Emily: okay…_

_Naomi: I duno, I can't really describe it, there was just, there is just something about you. You intrigue me. Does that make sense?_

_Emily: Yeah. It does._

..

"Why did you call me?"

"Because someone was ignoring my IM's."

"You were unhelpful."

"Oh right, so what'd you actually say?" Alex asked, "Please tell me it was what I suggested."

Naomi rolled her eyes, "Don't be ridiculous."

"So what'd you say."

"I duno, that she intrigued me, and I couldn't really put it in words properly? I don't know, I can't talk around her. Not successfully at least. And besides, she was asking about feelings and you know I don –"

"Don't do feelings," Alex sighed, "I know. Jesus."

"Shut up."

"Whatever, ignoring your obvious issues," Alex stated, "She doesn't seem much better than you. Actually that's not true, I think she just pretends harder than you do that she doesn't do feelings, but actually is a lot more open about them."

"What you just said makes absolutely no sense." Naomi said through a frown. "And besides, how would you even know that?"

"We talk sometimes," Alex said casually. The pen Naomi had been twirling between her fingers stilled.

"What!" Naomi sputtered. "You what?"

"We talk…sometimes," she reiterated.

"And you never thought to mention this because…"

"We don't talk about you all the time, jeez. Ego much. We just talk sometimes." She said it like a shrug.

"Like what? And don't think I didn't hear the implication that you do sometimes talk about me? What does she say?" Naomi couldn't help herself.

"That's private."

"Alex!"

"It is!" Alex defended, "I don't go around telling her all you do and say."

"You're my best mate," Naomi said hollowly, not quite feeling so keen on that fact at the moment.

"And I tell you things that are important or useful," Alex said calmly. "She doesn't have a lot of people at school she can talk about things with, so sometimes we talk."

"Yeah well, don't."

Alex pffted her. "I will not. Besides, mostly it's her who messages me. Don't want to be rude."

"Alex – "

"Well besides when I'm extremely bored and you're being less than entertaining or god forbid social."

"Alex – "

"What you'd prefer the next time she messages me to be like 'oh I'm sorry we can't be friends. Naomi forbade it."

"Did you just say forbade?"

"Game of Thrones is really good," Alex gushed, "And that chick from Imagine You & Me is in it. Not Piper, but the other one."

"Who? What?" Naomi let out an exaggerated breath. "Whatever fine. Talk to her for all I care."

"Good!" Alex said cheerily, Naomi could tell she was smirking, an obnoxious victorious smirk. "I don't know what I do for Spanish class otherwise."

"What?"

"She helps me with my Spanish homework. Girls a pro, let me tell you."

Naomi was trying to get her dumbfounded mind to catch up. Alex and Emily talked…regularly. They talked about other things than just her. Emily helped Alex with her Spanish homework. She sat down. She didn't know why she kept trying to fight the fact. Her life was actually ridiculous.

..

..

She walked into Will's room and stopped.

"Blondie!" Cook bellowed. "I'm sorry if I'd of known you were comin' I'd 'ave stripped already."

She rolled her eyes and gave him a two-finger salute.

"Cook is your roommate?" she asked.

"Yeah, you know each other?" Will said from his desk.

"Do we," Cook smirked.

"Not as well as he'd like, but yes unfortunately."

"Aw me heart," Cook fiend clutching at his chest.

Naomi ignored him.

"So what are you two young, good lookin' folks gona do all alone this fine evening?" he quirked an eyebrow devilishly.

"Music," Will says as he rummages through his desk draw for his external hard drive.

"Gona make some music," Cook waggled his eyebrows, "nice."

"No, no," Naomi corrected as she nicked Cook's desk chair and dragged it over by Wills desk. "He means were literally going to talk about music."

Cook's face fell. He shook his head in disapproval. Naomi didn't know why but she was suddenly overwhelmed with the knowledge that she never wanted Cook and Alex to meet. It was a terrifying thought, both being the type of people that feed off of others energies, they would just infinitely wind each other up. They would probably take over the world. Or at the very least terrorize the female population in surrounds areas while ceaselessly annoying her. Yeah, she hoped their paths never crossed.

Cook "left them to it" and skived off with a last waggle of his eyebrows.

A few hours and beers later they were well into their libraries and had moved from iTunes to YouTube.

"Have you seen this performance?" Will gushed, "It's ace. Damn Americans don't know how good they have it. What I would have done to go to that show."

He clicked on the YouTube link. The band kick up arguably there best known song as the distinct guitar picking of "The General" emanated from the tiny speakers.

"You know they are going back on tour right?" Naomi asked as she watched the video span across the sea of 110,000 people that had shut down Storrow Drive, all to be a part of "The Last Dispatch." While Dispatch was a favourite of hers, it was literally Wills favourite band.

"Fuck off."

"I'm serious," she said, taking another sip of her beer.

"If you're taking the piss…"

"I'm not, look it up," she laughed, "I'm surprised I'm the one telling you an not the other way round to be honest."

He went to the band's homepage. And she was sure by the look on his ecstatic face that if they had not been sitting she would be taken up in another spinning hug.

Cook burst through the door unannounced.

"Oh, sorry, sorry," he began before stopping and seeing he hadn't in fact interrupted anything. His face once again fell as the two people he'd left hours before were sat unmoved in their respective chairs. "You were actually serious about the talking about music thing?" he said with a slight disdain, swiping Will's beer and taking a swig. "I thought you were just talkin' in euphemisms."

Naomi laughed. She was impressed he even knew the word.

He joined them for watching Boondock Saints, which was the last thing on there to do list, as it was apparently a crime that she had never seen it. The poster of which was hanging over Will's bed, next to a Guinness poster and a Hurling poster.

Later she walked up the stairs to her dorm. He refused her refusal of him walking her back. After the movie Will and Cook walked her back to her dorm, her shook her head as the two interchanged singing out of tune and quoting the brothers prayer as if they were assassins themselves. She was tipsy and smiling.

Will was the kind of kid you sat in a tree fort with and planned adventures, and it wasn't just a tree fort, it was a ship, and it wasn't just a ship, it was a pirate ship, a pirate ship in space. And you believed him. You believed him because it was fantastic and he was enthusiastic, and why wouldn't you want that to be true? So you traveled through space and saw new worlds and stole alien treasures and ran out of the street when a car drove down it.

This was simple; this was light she thought as she closed the door to her room. Sophia was tiring and heavy. Emily was terrifying, thrilling, but terrifying. She was also not an option she rationalized. Will she liked. She could like Will. She told herself she liked Will. It was a thought she rallied herself behind, like a politician did a cause.

..

..

_Emily: What are you doing? _

Popped up on her screen. Naomi stared at it for a moment, her mind playing catch up to what her eyes had just read – who and what.

_Naomi: Um, being boring waiting for Alex to get back to me and not actually watching the repeats on my telly._

Naomi sent back, unsure of why she felt the need to unnecessarily ramble. It seemed a trend around Emily, that or no words forming. Was it too much to ask for some middle ground? She couldn't even get some un-useful 'words of wisdom' from Alex who had gone idle since Naomi telling her about Will.

_Naomi: And yourself?_

She added after a moment.

_Emily: Distract me?_

Emily messaged back, not answering the question herself.

_Emily: Can you just distract me please. For a bit._

She stared at the screen for a beat.

_Naomi: Yeah, course_

She thought to herself for a moment, her fingers hovering over the keys like a pianist's would, flexing and twitching in that breath before the first note.

_Naomi: How? You can come round if you want. Panda's at Thomas's._

The longer the minutes stretched unanswered the more Naomi felt like she had said the wrong thing, regretted the offer. Why did she have to assume Emily would want to hangout? That was once and the other she was drunk.

_Emily: Sorry_

Her screen binged a message.

_Emily: Mandy just called me again…we're fighting. But I don't want to talk to her right now. Or think about it. It's the same old shite. Can you just distract me please? And I don't want you to have to deal with this otherwise I'd come over. But can you just distract me please?_

_Naomi: Okay…what'd you want me to talk about then?_

_Emily: Anything_

If it had been anyone else Naomi was sure she would have said something like you need to be a bit more specific than that or equally cheeky. But it wasn't anyone else, so she didn't. Instead she stared at the non-helpful answer. She was bad at this.

And then she talked about anything, a bit about everything; the paper, her night out with the fab four and the floor mattress, stories of her mother and her general hippy-ness. She made mental notes when she got amused responses. She made her best attempts to quell her brazen, anxious mind when Emily wouldn't say anything for prolonged gaps in time – she figured she was talking with, fighting with, Mandy in those moments. It did nothing to ease her nerves.

_Emily: We broke up_

Emily eventually messaged. Naomi just started.

_Naomi: Are you alright?_

_Emily: I don't know. I don't think so._

There was a pause. What on earth could she say to that? Sorry? She wasn't, though she didn't like the idea of Emily not being alright. But she also got a jolt of fear, flashing back to the time she found out Emily was gay, and all her stupid pinings had palpable possibility. She felt that again, and again it was terrifying.

_Emily: I think I'm just going to go to bed_

_Naomi: Okay_

Naomi hesitated.

_Naomi: I'm here if you need anything, yeah?_

_Emily: Thanks._

She signed off.

Naomi heard a door open and saw Emily walk by toothbrush in hand. She sat still for a moment hearing the bathroom door down the hall close.

Not knowing where the thought came from Naomi opened a desk draw, pulling out the bag of shite chocolate Alex had sent her from America. Hershey's Chocolate Hugs. She grabbed one from the bag and stuck a bit of tape to the bottom of it, like you would the bottom of a bow. She looked to her left down the hall to make sure Emily wasn't on her way back. Quickly she went right, taking the chocolate hug she stuck it to Emily's door before scurrying back to her own room, closing the door. She hadn't fully thought this plan through but she knew she definitely didn't want Emily to see her doing it. That would be awkward. She just wanted her to get the hug.

She heard Emily's door once again close.

Eventually Naomi opened her door and headed to the bathroom herself. On her way back she peered a bit further down the hall, a small smile twitching at the corner of her mouth. Emily had taken it. The hug was gone.


	21. Chapter 21: Green and Gray

**Wow! I've officially been writing this over a year now. When did that happen? And I know, I know, "A year? A year, you say? And they haven't even held hands!" I hear ya. One year en counting I just wanted to say thanks for continuing on with this and my mad marathon of a story. I probably would have stopped by now without your lovely reviews and favorites and alerts and whathaveyou. Shall we march on?**

**Reviewers: fookyeahskins, skinsfan15, Funsponge, YouMeafIsMine, els, SA, R3dN0te, cumbia86, nitaxnitro, Steph81, and Deyanira-chan – I think this may be the most reviews I've had yet for a chapter of this fic, thank you mighty kindly. Always makes my day.**

**Please do let me know what you think. And as always, thanks for reading.**

**And I know, **_**I know**_**. Chivalry is Dead – I'm working on it.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XXI: It might be for her, but for now it's between green and gray**

..

..

Naomi shook her head in an attempt to realign her subconscious priorities. She needed to stop staring. God damn shiny things. She cursed a god she didn't believe in for the creation of all things shiny. She needed to stop staring at Emily's newly pierced lip. Center. Hoop. Shiny. Lips. Dammit. She shook her head again, pointedly staring forward at the black board. Apparently that's what Emily did when she was mad or spiteful or bored – she did whatever the fuck she wanted; she got her lip pierced. Blue eyes swayed from black and chalky to kissable and shiny. Dammit. Naomi hadn't realized she was a fan of lip piercings, but she was. She really, really was.

"Something's new," She had stated at the beginning of class. After the professor was running late and she couldn't not acknowledge it, the metal hoop that currently adorned Emily's lower lip. Because that's exactly what Naomi needed, another reason to stare at the girls lips. And then that husky voice would emit from those lips. She needed to focus. She needed to focus on something else.

Emily smirked as Naomi's eyes finally, laboriously, found the redheads once again. "Felt like a change," she shrugged. Naomi glanced back down at her lips, her smirking lips, she looked away again.

"Nice," Naomi nodded, "err…I mean, it looks…nice. Suits you."

The smirk changed to a smile. "Thanks."

Damn shiny things. Naomi let out a huff of air looking back down to the unenthusiastic equation on the board. So much for learning anything today.

..

Naomi walked back from class with Emily. Another Monday survived. They stopped in her doorway and Naomi closed her eyes fighting the urge to cringe. Sophia was waiting for her in her room. Sophia made her nervous, in a different way than Emily did. Emily and Sophia in the same room also made her doubly so.

"Naomi," Sophia said, stopping when she noticed Emily. Naomi looked between the two girls as they appeared to be sizing each other up.

"Oh, Naomi," Emily began, "Tell that wife of yours if she wants my help with her Spanish homework that I'll be online round seven. Or if that doesn't work for her, she can just Facebook message me."

Naomi laughed through an eye roll. "I'll be sure to let Alex know."

"Okay well, later." Emily said giving Naomi a smirk before throwing her gaze at Sophia then back again to the blonde as she backed away towards her own room.

"_She_ talks to Alex?" Sophia questioned looking slighted.

"Yeah?" Naomi answered. What did Sophia care?

"Are they friends?"

Naomi shrugged, "Sort of."

Sophia huffed, "She wouldn't friend me on Facebook, but they're friends?"

Naomi was slightly befuddled. "Well, you and Alex have never spoken soo…"

"But they have?"

"Yeah?"

"How?"

"What business is it of yours?" She was about the last person Naomi would want to share that story with.

"None, apparently." Sophia spat standing up and exiting the room.

"What the actual fuck?" Naomi said to herself. Not chasing after the girl, instead shutting her door.

..

..

Naomi didn't really consider Tuesday night a drinking sort of night but the boys had called "family dinner" so there it was. They actually called it "family dinner", the saps. These nights were different from normal parties or shindigs. If an event was labeled a "family dinner" it was basically mandatory, like when playing Apples to Apples and someone pulled ninja, pirate, or Barbara Walters; it didn't matter the category – that card won. So too, if "family dinner" was called, you showed up.

This night the excuse was some match Naomi didn't care about, but that wasn't the point of them anyway, not really. The basic criteria consisted of eating a home cooked meal and get pissed with mates. Though this one would be different, also. It was the first family dinner of the semester. It was the first family dinner since Andy didn't live there.

The longer the night went on, the more appealing getting munted on a Tuesday became. By half nine Naomi was halfway through her fourth drink. The food was gone, the match was boring, the new flat mate was a bit flirty, and then there was Sophia; clingy, well on her way to getting pissed, Sophia.

"Shot?" Jared asked, producing a bottle of clear liquid. He had light brown hair and was maybe a hair taller than Sid, his new roommate.

"Thank fuck someone brought vodka," Naomi praised raising her arms in thanks as she removed herself from her spot on the couch. She would have willingly gotten up for something lesser than vodka if it meant creating a bit of breathing room between her and Sophia "I'm a drunk close talker" Moore. The vodka was just an added bonus. "Jared, I may just like you yet."

"It's not vodka," Jared scoffed as she stood next to him at the table. "It's gin."

"Gin? Why the fuck would you get gin?"

"Um, because it's delicious and I'm classy," he retorted.

Naomi laughed.

"Have you never had it before?"

"No," Naomi made a face.

"Well we'll fix that," he smirked pouring two shots and handing her one.

Naomi coughed as the liquid burned down her throat. She clanked the shot glass back onto the table, her face crinkled in disgust. She looked like a cat with a particularly unpleasant hairball. "That was awful! Why would you make me drink that?" she shoved at his arm with some force, in a friendly way.

"And this is why we can't have nice things," He laughed. "That is some quality gin I just wasted on you."

Naomi stuck her tongue out of her mouth as if trying to free her taste buds from the residual gin in her mouth. "Jesus," she whined with a cough, "that is like old man and pine needles. Disgusting."

"You've tasted old man?"

"No," she rolled her eyes, her mouth still pulled into a foul face. "But if old man was a flavour – that's what it would taste like," she yucked.

She lifted her eyes at the movement in the kitchen doorway. Effy stood with a cat that got the cream smirk on her face and a half drunk bottle of Jack Daniels in her hand. "Andy forgot his secret stash of Jack," she grinned victoriously.

"You knew that was there?" Naomi questioned abandoning Jared and his gin.

Effy gave her a look, "I know everything."

Naomi rolled her eyes, of course she did.

It was no longer Tuesday as Naomi surveyed her surroundings. Maxxie had disappeared a half hour ago after a booty call from Toga Sam. Tony was contently smoking a spliff silently on the couch next to a passed out Sid who had marker drawn all over his face (the poor bastard had fallen asleep with his shoes on). A shoeless Panda was passed out next to him Sharpie still in hand. Sid had a half drawn smiling flower next to a detailed penis on his forehead. "He never learns," Tony had said mid drawing, "four years on and still Sidney neglects to remember his shoes." Effy had disappeared at some point, in usual fashion, though only after kindly removing Panda's shoes for her. Overall it was relatively successful family dinner.

Naomi stood up from her chair. "Whoa," she placed her hand on the table as everything in view wobbled a bit. She was drunk. It was definitely a successful family dinner.

She had been bantering with Jared and sidestepping Sophia most of the night. Sophia was currently in the bathroom. Where was that other bugger?

Naomi stopped in the open doorway of his room.

"This is disgusting," she stated as she surveyed the piles of clothing, dirty dishes, and unmade beds. In the lads defense his side looked tidy comparatively to Sid's half, but it was still proper filthy all around. No wonder Tony refused to share a room with Sid.

"You could help me clean it," Jared smirked, attempting his best puppy dog face.

Naomi let out a burst of laughter.

"Oh, you're serious," she said after a moment before resuming her laughter. She was definitely a bit drunk and he was more than a bit absurd if he thought he could convince her to clean up his room.

"Aw, come on," he grinned, "You'd do a much better job of it than I would."

He was just being funny but she raised an eyebrow at him, the lazy pounce.

"What are you doing?" Naomi heard from behind her. Sophia appeared clogging the rest of the doorway. Naomi took a step forward to avoid contact.

"Naomi here was just offering to help tidy this place up a bit," he winked at Naomi. She rolled her eyes as they shared the joke. Lazy pounce. "Thought we'd make a start with the bed," he said leaning back onto his elbows, atop the pile of clothing on his unmade bed. "Care to join?"

Naomi laughed again. Partly because of the alcohol and partly because she knew he was half expecting it to work. Sadly, it probably did on some freshman girls.

Sophia looked affronted glaring between the lad and Naomi before turning out of the door.

"Are you coming?" she asked Naomi, turning round.

"I'm alright."

Sophia left in a huff.

"Someone's got their knickers in a bunch," He observed still lounged on his bed.

Naomi let out a laugh turning to watch Sophia grab the bottle of gin off the table. "You've no idea."

"Little girl needs to learn to take a joke," he added "though I was completely serious bout the cleaning, how bout it sweetheart, care to stick around?"

"Don't call me sweetheart," she said leaving the room. It was an honest, dirty proposition and part of Naomi just wished she were the type of girl that would be flattered and would want to stay. But she wasn't.

..

"Can we just talk?" Sophia said forlornly.

"About what?" Naomi sighed, stopping in the stairwell of their dorm. "What could there possibly still be to talk about, Sophia?"

It was becoming more than tiresome, these drunk talks. They were also becoming a much unwelcome regular occurrence.

"You act different around me now," Sophia said, "You act differently than before…"

Naomi sighed. She didn't want to be having this talk. She especially didn't want to be having this talk in a stairwell for it to echo for all to hear. But the alternative was bringing Sophia back to hers as Effy had gone back to theirs ages ago. She really didn't want Sophia in her room so really that wasn't an option. Projecting stairwell it was.

"What did you expect?" Naomi breathed leaning against the whitewashed cinderblock wall.

"Can't things just go back to the way they were?" Sophia implored.

"I don't know."

"You never know."

"So why do you keep asking then?" She hated this, all of it; the awkwardness, the accusation in her eyes, the ceaseless drunken chats. Naomi stared out the dark window at the unnatural yellow light the streetlamp produced, anywhere but the brunette's eyes. There was a resentment festering insider her and she knew it, felt it. Yet she was trying because however fucked up this situation was they had become pretty good mates at one point and if nothing else you owed a friend a bit of effort, did you not? Besides, she was nothing if not an avoider. And to tell Sophia off would mean being emotional and that was an unnecessary endeavor.

"You never want to hangout anymore."

"I've been busy…"

"No, you just hangout with other people."

"What am I not allowed friends?"

"No…that's not what I'm saying," Sophia sighed, frustrated. "I just miss you. And what we had, what we had before I bogged everything up."

Naomi sat on the small edge of the windowsill. She didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything at all.

"Do you like him?" Sophia blurted out of nowhere.

"What?" Naomi asked perplexed.

"Jared," Sophia elaborated with accusing hazy eyes. "You were chatting with him all night."

"I don't want to shag everyone I talk to, you know," she replied, folding her arms.

"But you were flirting."

She had been, looking back, she hadn't completely shut down his flirting, but there was no crime in that. Besides it was harmless, with everything currently going on in her university life, she could go for a bit of harmless banter.

"Stop, okay?" Naomi breathed pinching her fingers over the bridge of her nose as she shut her eyes, "Just stop."

..

Naomi shut her door. Letting her head thud back against the wood. Her buzz had faded into a dull tired headache, the kind that settles behind the eyes, after the unnecessarily long unnecessary chat with Sophia.

She thought she might explode if she had to listen to Sophia talk any longer. Trying to follow the girl's train of thought was like attempting to follow a drunken sailors meandering path by night with no torch. "I miss our friendship, you're different, I don't like you, we're friends, you've become distant, imagine if we'd of been more than friends?" They said Da Vinci could draw a perfect circle freehand. Sophia was no artist with her words.

She had just climbed into bed when there was a knock on her door. After a second knock persisted in the silence of Naomi's indecisive pause, she turned back climbing down: bed to chair to floor.

She opened the door to find the face she had been so relieved to rid herself of not moments ago.

"What?" Her voice was neither pleasant nor curious. It was bone creaking tired, it was annoyed.

"They're doing stuff again…" the brunette stated hugging her SpongeBob SquarePants pillow to herself. Naomi assumed she meant Effy and her current boy. "Can I stay here?"

Naomi sighed and turned from the door, but she left it open. Without a word Naomi hit the lights and climbed back into bed. She felt herself sink into it. It had been one of those nights where once finally in bed it had felt earned.

"The floor is really uncomfortable," she heard a small voice say.

Naomi kept her eyes closed.

"Can I sleep up there with you?"

"No."

There was a pause. Naomi hoped that was the end of it, but it was just that: a pause.

"We could sleep head to foot?"

"No."

There was a sigh from below.

"Could I have an extra pillow then at least?"

Naomi squeezed her eyes shut tighter.

"No."

"Naomi – "

She cut her off, "You have your own room with your own bed."

That was the end of it.

..

..

Naomi was tired, thankfully not too hungover, and cranky. Emily had not been in maths today. Naomi had spent all class wishing she were sleeping instead. She had spent all class wishing Emily were there to pass unimportant notes with and to poke her when her eyes would shut for more than just a lazy blink.

It had been the kind of day where closing your eyes was lovely and opening them again tedious. She sat in her chair at her desk, quietly being unproductive as Panda mirrored her on her respective side of the room. The door was closed, for a change. It hadn't been the best of days; she didn't need it to get worse with unwanted visitors.

A knock sounded on the door. Naomi and Panda froze mid movement. Their wide eyes instantly found each others. Neither said a word. Panda slinked up to the door and peered through the view. She snapped her head back toward Naomi who still sat motionless at her desk.

Panda pointed at the door and opened her mouth to speak. Naomi instantly brought her finger up to her lips creating the universal sign for "be quiet" and hoped Panda would take the hint. She knew Panda would attempt to whisper, but Panda didn't quite understand that talking with a hush in your voice and actually whispering were not in fact the same thing.

Panda smiled, vigorously nodding her head.

"_It's Sophia_," Panda shout whispered.

Naomi winced. In that moment she was sure of a few things: One, Panda had said that loud enough; two, Sophia was still outside the door; and three, Sophia had heard that.

She sighed, "It's open." She watched the knob turn and Sophia enter.

Naomi felt something twist in her stomach, and unlike when with Emily, Naomi can actually place a feeling to it; dread. It definitely wasn't dread she felt around Emily. She wasn't thinking about Emily, she reminded herself.

Call the devil and he shall appear, Emily walked by just then as Sophia stepped into the room. Naomi had found it odd that she wasn't in maths earlier that day. Sometimes the redhead would skive off class, but it was usually on a Friday, which today was not. Her brow furrowed, an unfamiliar brunette walked by at Emily's side.

The tectonic plates of Naomi's forehead shifted further creating new mountain ranges across the scope of her face. She didn't register a single word Sophia said. Like stop-motion, blue eyes followed the pair as they walked by. She didn't know her, the tall brunette with Emily, but she did. Alex had done enough creeping or "recon" as she called it for the both of them all those months ago. So she didn't know the brunette, but she did. Naomi leaned back in her chair. So that was Mandy. So they had gotten back together.

…

…

Alex wasn't texting her back. Alex always texted her back, especially when it was about things of this nature. When it was Emily related. That meant one of two things. One, she killed her mobile, wouldn't be the first time. Or, her mother had found her out on something, and not for the last time.

Aurora K. as they lovingly referred to her as was a lovely woman, whom had never been anything but kind to Naomi. She was sort of a second mother to her, the two friends being inseparable since that fateful day all those years ago. But like most mothers, Aurora K. was also a force to be reckoned with.

Eventually she received a confirmation text.

_Alex: The eyes of the hawk are upon me. Aurora saw the charge card bill…woops. I'll sneak a call later._

And that was it, all day.

..

They walked by again. Not just her, but they, them. She sat at her desk unmoving as she stared into the deserted hallway. The day had been a slow and arduous. She had stopped attempting to ward off Sophia by closing her door. It was futile.

She should be relieved, really, she told herself as the two girls disappeared from view without so much as a glance. It could never really be an option. It was just a silly infatuation perpetuated into something it was not by her over enthusiastic best mate. She needed to tell Alex to get a new hobby, one that didn't involve her and encouraging girls. That was it. Simple. So why did she have this feeling in the hollow of her gut?

Her body position unchanged and her brain cogs whirred, that was how Will found her.

The smiling boy bopped into her line of vision whistling a tune, he held a CD case up triumphantly.

"Every bit of Dispatch music released and some live stuff," he grinned waving the case in front of the blonde's face. Naomi blinked as if to clear her mind.

She smiled at him, "Seriously?"

"Yup," he continued, "It's a data CD, so you've got to convert it all to listen to it, but all the files are there."

"Right," she nodded placing the CD on her desk. She used technology, doesn't mean she truly understood it. She'd ask Alex what the hell a data CD was later, if she would ever actually call her that was. The smartarse was still MIA. Aurora K must have taken her phone. Of all the times Aurora had to strike down…it just had to be now.

"So what'd ya say?" Will asked, looking at her expectantly.

"Sorry, what?"

"Tomorrow night, house party, in town, should be pretty grand," he reiterated. "Would you like to go?"

"Oh," Naomi said as she heard a door close and Emily appear with Mandy walking by again. "Yeah, sure. Yeah I'd love to. It'll be fun."

He smiles, "Brilliant. I'll talk to you more bout it in psychology tomorrow, yeah?"

"Yeah."

..

..

"The kegs tapped," Sarah announced sidling up next to Naomi and Will who were midway through a game of flagship. Coincidentally the fab four were happened to attend the same party. It wasn't that big of a school or town. God she felt a bit mashed. Why she had agreed to flagship, she didn't know. It was like beruit only the first cup was always filled to the brim. It wasn't her brightest moment in agreeing, but thankfully their opponents didn't make the front cup too often.

"There's another party going on round the way at my mate's flat," Brandt said joining them as Naomi watched their adversaries (thankfully) miss the front cup. "Shall we head there when you're done?"

"Ace," Will said as he passed Naomi the ping-pong ball. "You're up Secret Weapon."

He called her that because she was good and because the wankers they were playing assumed all girls couldn't hit a cup to save their lives. It was satisfying, the shocked faces they would make every time she sunk a cup. It was priceless every time it was the front one.

"SECRET WEAPON!" Will shouted joyously as she stuck again. He spun her round in usual fashion. How she wasn't dizzy from all the spinning and the drinking was beyond her.

..

"So where are we going?" Naomi asked as she walked with Will and the rest of the group.

"Duno," Will shrugged, "Some mate of Brandt's is having a party supposedly."

The two were side by side as the rest of the group was a few paces ahead. Naomi chuckled to herself as Sean vaulted himself onto Brandt's back, handling his piggyback ride as if Brandt were a bucking bronco: hand up, hat in hand.

"Thanks for inviting me," Naomi said bumping Will with her shoulder. "I'm having fun."

"I'm glad you came," he smiled, "and same."

She wasn't sure who reached for whose hand, or if they had simply brushed together and settled there, but Naomi found her hand in Will's. She couldn't remember the last time she'd held hands with a boy, the sizing seemed all wrong, her hand easily engulfed by his. Though it wasn't unpleasant, just different.

They both laughed as Sean fell off of Brandt with a thud onto the sidewalk. A surprised Brandt hunched over his follow comrade, doubled over in laughter.

This was nice, Naomi thought as the two swung their joined hands between themselves as they continued their walk.

Sarah turned around and spotted them. "Awww," she cooed, "How cute."

Naomi rolled her eyes, flipping the girl off. Sarah was just taking the piss, as friends do, before promptly turning back around leaving them to it.

"This is it!" Brandt said a few blocks later as they stopped in front of a loud house. He rubbed his hands together. "Shall we help kick their keg as well?" he smirked before leading the way in.

..

..

Effy followed Naomi's eye line, in turn watching Emily and an unfamiliar tall brunette walk past. She looked back at the blonde who stared at the now empty hall.

Emily had not been in maths again today either. It's not like they talked everyday or anything, but somehow Emily had become a constant in her university life. They hadn't talked properly since maths class on Monday, which seemed eons ago now. She didn't like it it was weird. Naomi felt a pang in her stomach. She wasn't hungry. She missed Emily she realized.

"Come home with me this weekend."

"What?" Naomi asked, blinking, bringing herself back to the present.

"Yeah, come home with me this weekend. We've got the holiday Monday – might was well make use of it."

"Well…" the blonde stammered, debating. Effy took her indecision as a yes.

"Good, sorted." She said slipping off of Panda's desk. "Tell Panda to start packing when you see her. She's coming too."

"What?" Naomi asked, confused.

"Oh and were leaving at seven." The brunette added as she left, just as enigmatically as she had appeared.


	22. Chapter 22: We all do what we can

**It has been a very long time and I am very sorry for that. Amongst other albeit more fun adventures this summer I moved again (I know, again). BUT a year lease has been signed and I am quite excited at the prospect of not having to lug my furniture up or down any flights of stairs in the near future.**

**An update for Chivalry is Dead is currently in the works.**

**Big thanks to: ash, Steph81, R3dN0te, fookyeahskins, skinsfan15, Crevette, I got caught, frostythesnowgirl3, sookieheartsbill, and hopelessnaomilyaddict – thank you for all your lovely reviews and sticking with this through the Sophia and the mandeh and the painfully slow trudge and what have you. You're all ace.**

**(frostythesnowgirl, thank you for the review – though I am a fan of the tumblr flailing as well haha :) )**

**Please do let me know what you think! (Or if any of you are even still reading this?) And as always, thanks for reading.**

**I don't own Skins or anything of the sort.**

**Chapter XXII: We all do what we can**

..

..

How she found herself sandwiched in the back of Effy's car between Panda and Sid she still wasn't sure, though it wasn't disagreeable. Tony and Effy were in the front and they all were en route to Casa de Stonem…she needed to stop talking to Alex so much. Even with the recent lack of communication due to Alex being grounded Naomi still found the other girls phrases invading her vocabulary.

Alex had been less than enthusiastic when she heard of Naomi's trip; its destination being mobile phone service adverse, or at least that's what Effy had called it.

..

"_What?!" Alex had exclaimed. "I finally talked my way into getting my mobile back and you're going to the country? Beyond civilization? Rude. And honestly why would you willingly go to the bloody country? Where there is no service?"_

"_It's only for the weekend. You'd think I'm, I dunno skipping out of the country for an undisclosed amount of time," Naomi retorted. "You'll be fine."_

"_I can't believe you're abandoning me," Alex said dramatically, ignoring her friend's teasing. "What am I supposed to do? I'm still grounded," she lamented before explaining how she used the 'emergency' credit card her parents had given her to purchase the two play tickets to Wicked, a hotel in London, limo to the show, and an outfit for the evening._

"_Alex…" Naomi chastised._

"_I had nothing to wear, that was actually an emergency."_

..

It's funny, she didn't know why but she always pictured Effy being from some city, smoking her way through the days and rolling from grungy club to grungy club by night, and maybe in some alternative universe she did. But the Stonems lived in more of a manor than a high rise where trees outnumbered people and stars, lights. Sitting in George's field being passed the tin of pumpkin pie, after the spliff from Effy herself – this – all of this nature, and calm, and unexpected peace, Effy fit in an impossible sort of way.

_.._

"_So where exactly are we going?" Naomi had asked as she pulled the collar of her jacket tighter around her face, tucking in her chin. They had parked the car by a wood and had been walking a solid ten minutes before coming to a small river, or large steam. They stopped in front of a makeshift bridge by the way of two trees with two vertically aligned ropes crossing the river._

"_To George's," Effy said in her simple way. As if two words held the weight of two hundred._

"_And who is George exactly?"_

"_Maxxie's wet dream," Tony offered with a smirk. Naomi found his words about as useful as Effy's, a Stonem family trait she had come to realize. Sid laughed at Tony's description. Damn the Stonems and their tiresome answers that were not answers._

_After crossing the rope bridge they passed through a field to another. Naomi could see a fire and as they approached a tent._

"_This is George's?" she asked, unimpressed._

"_This is George's," Effy repeated. "He's usually not out this early, but I guess he's being a bit ambitious with the lack of snow here. He lives out here as much of the year as he can, you see. Only when it gets too cold or there is too much snow does he go back to stay at his parents in the village." Like Sid, they had grown up with George._

_He greeted them as warmly as his fire. Instantly Naomi took appreciation in Tony's description of the lad. He was beautiful. Tall and dirty blonde, he reminded her of a young Heath Ledger, of one of those young bright stars that burn out and die much too soon. He was radiant. _

..

This had been exactly what she needed without realizing it. Naomi felt relaxed as she hopped down from the rope bridge. They weren't staying the night.

"Did no one bring a torch?" she asked as they began the last leg of the trek to the car.

"It is bloody dark," Panda added.

"The lights just make you see worse."

"Right," Naomi said not entirely convinced.

Unlike the walk to the car, the car ride seemed doubly long.

"Is it just me or is it taking us longer to get back than it did to get there?" Naomi voiced after sometime of watching trees pass in the night.

"We're going back a different way," Effy said from the front seat without turning around.

"A longer way?"

"Yes Naomi, a longer way."

"Why?"

"This way has the hills."

"The what?" Again, with the answers that's weren't answers. Tony and Effy were up front again with Naomi and Panda in the back seat and George and Sid in the row behind them.

"Open up," George said, grabbing the headrest of the seats in front of him as he climbing from the back of the car. "We're almost there."

Naomi heard the sunroof open and the loudness of air rushing by. She leaned to the left a bit in an attempt to gain more personal space. George stood up, his top half disappearing out the confines of the car. She felt the pull of the engine working the car up the first hill.

It was that moment before the fall, that limbo before gravity would then inevitably did its job. Naomi wondered if he were mad as he let out a joyful yell and spread his arms out to either side. He wasn't flying, but he was as the car careened down the first knoll.

"He could get killed," Naomi said over the rushing noise of the air.

"He could do doing anything," Effy replied evenly.

A minute later he was back down in the car breathless and smiling. "Absolutely fantastic," he proclaimed as he climbed back next to Sid.

"Sidney take the wheel," Tony said as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Why me? Effy's right there."

"Because Effy is going to want a go and I know you're to much of a pussy."

Naomi thought she heard a muttered "tosser," as Sid climbed over the seats and Tony disappeared through the sunroof.

A few hills later Panda popped back down into her seat, a smile taking up her entire face.

"That was bloody brill!"

"Last one, Naomi you up for it?" Effy asked as the car steadily climbed the last incline.

"Naomi you've got to try it!" Panda enthused.

"No way," Naomi wasn't convinced. As fun as it looked she couldn't ignore that little voice in the back of her head repeatedly saying 'they are all fucking insane, every one of them.'

"You sure?" Effy asked, "You've just got to let go, you'll be fine."

"I'm alright, thanks."

"Alright," Effy said with a shrug, not pushing it before climbing up herself.

There was a part of her that wanted to, really, but for some reason she just couldn't let herself. She was risk adverse. This was not. There is no way she could do it. Something could happen.

"Hit it Tone," she heard Effy call from above before she felt the immediate push of more horsepower. Effy unfurled her arms like wings, flying through the air with her head up like a girl hippy dancing at a festival to her favourite guitar solo. Naomi wondered what song was playing.

..

..

Naomi's nose was an inch away from actually being in her book. As of this morning she had a public policy exam on Friday. She had some catching up to do if she wanted to be ahead before then and the downtime before Maths started was as perfect a time to start as any.

She felt the whoosh of something go by her and heard the thump of weighted down cloth hit desk. She peered to her right discovering the distracting culprit to be a red rucksack. Emily's red rucksack. The corner of Naomi's lip twitched into a smirk.

..

"Sorry about last week," Emily said as the two turned down the path toward their dorm, walking back from class.

"What?" Naomi said, not really knowing what else to say.

"For sort of disappearing," Emily explained. "With Mandy up it was just sort of…weird, I duno?" she faltered with her words a bit as she rubbed the back of her neck with her hand. "I mean I couldn't exactly introduce you two, could I?"

Naomi didn't say anything, imagining that scenario and how it would have been an awful sort of awkward at best.

"Yeah that would have been a bit awkward."

"I mean anytime I mention _anyone_ she gets all jealous – even my friend Michelle, who is as straight as they come. No thank you. It's ridiculous. Even guys! And I just didn't want to deal with it." She let out a long breath. "Sorry, I did miss hanging out with you though."

A smile pulled at the edge of Naomi's mouth. She didn't want to look too pleased with herself, even if she was.

"Did you go away this weekend?" Emily asked as Naomi held the door to the dorm building for her. "I saw the door was closed."

"Yeah, I went home with Eff."

"How was that?"

"Surprising fun, actually," Naomi stated as she rounded the stairwell.

"Surprising how?" Emily asked.

Naomi just shrugged, "Just wasn't what I expected in a good sort of way."

"Okay…"

The two walked down the rest of their hallway in a relatively comfortable silence.

"Right well, I told Effy and Panda I'd hangout with them," Naomi said as they reached Effy' and Sophia's room, "so this is my stop."

"Okay."

"You're welcome to join, we're probably just going to watch some shite program."

Emily laughed, "Well as exciting as that sounds, I think I'll pass. I've got some course work to get done before my shift tonight anyhow."

"Alright."

She gave Naomi a wave as the blonde turned into the darkened room.

Her friends were engrossed with the television as she entered. Naomi looked to the screen to see a scary movie playing. She turned abruptly, bolting from the room as if it were on fire, catching up to Emily a moment later.

"I thought you were hanging out with them?" Emily said with the raise of an eyebrow.

Naomi shrugged, "I can hangout with them later. They're watching some stupid scary movie."

Emily perked up a bit looking back toward the room, "Which one?"

"I duno, a scary one."

Emily cocked her head to the side, "Hold on, are you scared of scary movies?"

"I'm not a fan, no," Naomi defended.

"Well maybe you've just seen bad ones. Which was the last one you saw at the Cinema?"

"I've never."

Emily paused as a serious demeanor took over her face.

"What do you mean you've never seen a scary movie?!" Emily said appalled.

"Well I mean I've seen a scary movie before, obviously," Naomi rolled her eyes at Emily's reaction, "just not many, thank you very much."

"How? Why?"

"Because they're shite?" Naomi shrugged. "I don't understand why people like that sort of thing anyway, getting scared. No thank you. I can make things bad enough up here," she said tapping her temple with her finger, "don't need some shite movie to add fuel to the fire."

Emily just stared, "I love getting scared."

"Why?"

"It's fun."

"I think we have different perceptions of what fun is," Naomi said with a skeptical eyebrow, "but if you say so."

"I do," Emily said before clapping her hands together, "and we are going to watch a scary movie."

"What?" Naomi stuttered, "no…no, no, no,"

"Oh yes," Emily smirked that mischievous smirk that made Naomi nervous. She also liked it, which in turn made her more nervous.

"I think we'll start with the classics."

"Start?" Naomi retorted, "as in more than one?"

"The Exorcist is a good starting point," the redhead thought aloud, "ease you in with a classic."

"What?" It seemed about all she was capable of saying at the moment. It was all she was currently thinking.

"I can't tonight," Emily continued on more so to herself than Naomi, "but some night later this week or something?"

They were outside Naomi's doorway, as they had been for most of the current conversation. With one more smirk Emily continued on to her own door and disappeared behind it.

Naomi wasn't exactly sure what had just happened. There were many contributing factors to the butterflies currently rampaging in her stomach. She couldn't quite say she'd agreed to it, but it seemed she was watching scary movies with Emily later on in the week. If she wasn't such a wimp when it came to horror films she thought she might be more excited. Who was she kidding; she was still excited, in a completely terrified sort of way.

Last week if you had told her the turn of events from Emily practically ignoring her to asking her to watch a film, Naomi would have laughed. Now, she was still laughing, it was just a nervous sort of laugh.


End file.
